The report of the much debated socio-economic survey (caste census) will be delayed as the State government is set to extend the tenure of the current chairman of Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes, K. Jayaprakash Hegde, as the work on the survey report is yet to be completed. The State government has been under pressure to act on the survey after the Bihar government published the caste census recently.
Mr. Hegde — whose three-year tenure is set to end on November 25 — had earlier said that the report would be submitted before November. However, he is now learnt to have sought time from the government to do so.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said that the term of the chairman would be extended till the time the report got ready for submission. The Cabinet meeting scheduled for Thursday would discuss the issue before a decision is taken on the length of the extension of the tenure, sources said.
The development comes in the backdrop of hectic lobbying by the two land owning dominant communities — Veerashaiva/ Lingayats and Vokkaligas — who have opposed release of the commission’s report based on the data that they have termed as “unscientific”.
Though the Congress at the national level is seeking a caste census to determine the status of OBCs, sources aware of the developments indicated that the government was set to extend the tenure in the light of the “perceived anger” of these communities that could impact the electoral outcome in the Lok Sabha elections next year.
The BJP recently appointed a Lingayat leader, B. Y. Vijayendra, as its state unit chief while R. Ashok, a Vokkaliga leader, has been appointed as Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly.
On Wednesday, Mr. Siddaramaiah told reporters that the government would continue Mr. Hegde till he submitted the report.
“He has met me once and sought two to three months time. I have told him to give the report before January.”
Replying on the opposition by caste groups to the report, the Chief Minister said: “Some are opposed to the report even before seeing it. The Cabinet will discuss the report after it is submitted.”
Asked about the opposition by the Vokkaligara Sangha, he said: “They met me on Tuesday. I have asked them why they were against the report since no one, including me, has seen the report yet.” On news reports about Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar being opposed to it, Mr. Siddaramaiah said: “The Deputy Chief Minister has not spoken about the issue with me.”
Though the survey was conducted in 2015 when H. Kantharaj headed the commission, the report could not be submitted as the member-secretary had not affixed his signature even as Chief Ministers, including Mr. Siddaramaiah, had dithered on accepting the report.
However, a large number of most backward castes that have hardly had any reservation benefits either in public employment or education, are eagerly awaiting the report that can throw light on their status in comparison to other backward classes.
Sources in the backward classes commission said that the panel had sought time to complete the socio-economic survey report. “The commission felt that the report has long-term ramifications and that it should not be done in a hurry. Hence, more time has been sought,” they said.
The sources claimed that about 90% of the work on the report was ready, and that the commission would be in a position to submit it to the government in the next few weeks.
