For some votes, they are out to disrupt the social fabric of Karnataka. Yes, we are referring to the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in the state, whose anxiously-awaited and much-publicised caste census began in Karnataka on Monday, 22nd September, 2025. Carried out by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes, the census will go on till October 7 and will cost a whopping Rs 420 crore to the state’s exchequer.
The fresh caste census comes after the Congress high command rejected Siddaramaiah’s 2015 census, after questions were raised within Congress about its accuracy. Himself a Vokkaliga, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar has termed the 2015 report as unscientific and not properly done. He was able to convince the Congress high command for the fresh survey despite Siddaramaiah’s opposition to it. The government, which was also headed by Siddaramaiah, had spent Rs 165.51 crore in the 2015 census. It has now gone down the drain.
As fresh census begins now, its ripple effects can already be felt. Till yesterday, every caste group in Karnataka was seen holding meetings to ensure that their safeguards are protected, and none among their community members were left out in terms of getting enumerated.
Interestingly, while Veerashaiva Lingayats were holding a meeting in Hubbali, Christians were meeting in Bengaluru to chart out their strategy for the caste census on the very same day. Vokkaligas too, have been meeting frequently to ensure that their community does not lose out on the census count. It is noteworthy that both Lingayats and Vokkligas, who hold much of the political influence in Karnataka, had opposed Siddaramaiah’s caste census for its veracity.
Just a few days ago, top Muslim leaders were also holding confabulations with their community members under the leadership of Minority Welfare Minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan. The meeting that also had the participation of Haj Minister Rahim Khan, the Government Chief Whip Saleem Ahmed, and the Chief Minister’s Political Secretary Naseer Ahmed was meant to ensure muslims get enumerated correctly.
But then, where is Karnataka going? The state’s caste cauldron is on the boil courtesy Rahul Gandhi, who, for his political survival, is hell bent on dividing Hindu society on caste lines.
Interestingly, a question has already been raised about the integrity of the census. For Rahul Gandhi, Telangana’s caste census is the role model. But for Telangana, it took three months to conduct the caste census of about 3.5 crore population, while, on the contrary, Karnataka is allotting just 16 days to count a population of 7.5 crores.
Even the contents of forms being used for the census were questioned, as they included castes with the Christian tag that would create unrest in the society. These were Brahmana Christian Kuruba Christian, Vokkaliga Christian & others. After much of the furore, the names of such castes were deactivated from the list.
Congress’s caste politics in Karnataka has even put development works on the back burner ever since Congress came to power in the state as the entire focus of governance is now centred around the caste census. The fault line within Karnataka Congress over caste census runs deep and Rahul’s ploy to divide Hindus seems to be backfiring.
