Veerashaiva Mahasabha suggests fresh caste census

Bengaluru: Denouncing the caste census as “unscientific” and “unconstitutional,” the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha on Tuesday urged the state government to conduct a fresh survey. 

Prominent Lingayat leaders discussed the merits and demerits of the caste census – officially called the socio-economic and educational survey – before deciding to urge Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to not take any steps in implementing the caste census report.

Basavanna’s philosophy

“The Mahasabha follows Basavanna’s philosophy and favours the establishment of an egalitarian society. We are not against caste census, but the Kantharaj Commission report is filled with several contradictions and flaws. A fresh census should be conducted,” a press note by Mahasabha president Shamanur Shivashankarappa said.

The president reiterated the Mahasabha’s commitment to the state government’s measures to provide social justice and eradicate social inequalities.

Across parties

The apolitical nature of the meeting was evident as Lingayat leaders cutting across party lines participated in it.

Former chief ministers and BJP leaders B S Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai, Congress veteran Shamanur Shivashankarappa, and Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre were among those present.

Up in arms

Ever since the former chairman of the Backward Classes Commission Jayaprakash Hegde submitted the report to the government, the dominant Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities have been up in arms against the report as they feel their communities are “under-represented” as per the “leaked” findings of the report which is yet to be tabled.

Under OBC list

The meeting further urged the chief minister to recommend to the Centre to add all sub-castes of Lingayats under the Other Backward Classes (OBC).

“In the state’s OBC list, several sub-castes of Lingayats have been mentioned without being referred to as Lingayats. Thus, the state government should follow the High Court and Supreme Court’s verdicts and amend the government order so that all sub-castes are considered Lingayats without any changes in their classification,” the note by the Mahasabha president added.