BENGALURU: Karnataka govt is facing growing internal pressure after the leak of the caste census report that has sparked strong opposition from different quarters. Ahead of the special cabinet meeting scheduled on Thursday to discuss the report in detail, senior netas from the influential Vokkaliga and Lingayat caste groups have called meetings of their respective communities. Both communities maintain that their respective proportions in total population is much more than what the report has estimated.
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Deputy CM and PCC chief DK Shivakumar called a special meeting of Congress MLAs from Vokkaliga community Tuesday to address their concerns. "We will have a discussion with them (Vokkaliga legislators) and suggest ways to ensure everyone is respected without hurting anyone's sentiments," Shivakumar said, adding govt will not take any 'hasty decision'.
Forest minister Eshwar Khandre, who is a Lingayat, said: "The opinion of the community's leadership and individuals will be collated so that it can be conveyed at the meeting." CM Siddaramaiah has maintained silence on the issue, stating, "I will talk about it in special cabinet meeting."
The caste census report was submitted to the cabinet on April 10, but its contents have not been officially released to the public. According to the leaked findings, the Vokkaliga population stands at 61.6 lakh, or 10.3% of the state's population, with a proposed reservation of 7%. Lingayats are placed at 11% (66.3 lakh), with a recommendation of 8% reservation. However, internal community divisions - Veerashaiva Lingayats at 10.4 lakh, Panchamasalis at 10.7 lakh, and others - have led to disputes over accurate representation.