Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Confirms Caste Census Start on September 22 Amid Political Heat
In a bold move, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced on Friday that the much-talked-about Socio-Economic and Academic Survey, often called the caste census, will kick off on September 22 without any delays. This comes as the state government faces growing opposition from within its ranks and sharp criticism from the BJP over the Karnataka caste census plans.
Speaking to reporters at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah addressed rumors of postponement and cabinet pushback head-on. He made it clear that the Backward Classes Commission, a key statutory body, operates independently—no one can dictate its actions. "We’ve shared our views with the Commission, but the final call is theirs," he said. The CM also slammed the BJP for turning the caste census controversy into a political weapon, accusing the Congress government of being anti-Hindu. He directed all ministers to unite and counter these claims firmly.
Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar echoed this stance from Ramanagara, where he attended the birth anniversary event of former CM Devaraj Urs. "We’ll sort out all doubts and roll out the social and educational survey smoothly," Shivakumar assured. "Our goal is social justice, all within the law." He dismissed BJP’s attacks on the caste census as "false propaganda and conspiracies," promising a fair process. "We’ll list communities alphabetically and visit every household to gather details from all," he added.
Shivakumar also responded to suggestions from former Legislative Council Chairman Sudarshan, who urged passing on his ideas to the Backward Classes Commission. "I asked him to share directly with them. We’ll flag it to the CM and discuss further," Shivakumar said.
Adding to the chorus, PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi, a close ally of Siddaramaiah, clarified a major sticking point in the caste census debate. "If someone converts to another religion, that’s final—no adding castes to it," he stated. Jarkiholi stressed there’s no real confusion now; earlier issues arose from including extra castes not in the official Scheduled List. For converts to Christianity or other faiths, only the religion gets recorded—no caste tags. "The caste census starts September 22, no delays," he confirmed. He noted that Backward Classes Development Minister Shivraj Tangadagi has agreed to remove those extra castes, and the CM has tasked seven to eight ministers with finalizing decisions.
Sources reveal Siddaramaiah has bowed to internal opposition by scrapping additional castes and Hindu sub-castes wrongly categorized under Christianity. Ministers had protested the Backward Classes Commission’s additions without their input. On the national front, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala met Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar to hash out the caste census issues.
But the BJP isn’t backing down. Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje fired back in Bidar, accusing the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government of a "divide-and-rule" tactic through the caste census. "He’s trying to split Hindus into groups and steal reservation benefits from Scheduled Castes and Tribes," she charged. Karandlaje pointed to past attempts, like dividing Veerashaiva and Lingayat communities in 2013, and now creating sub-castes such as Vokkaliga-Christian, Lingayat-Christian, Ganiga-Christian, and Nekara-Christian. "Why invent these? It’s a conspiracy to grab our reservations," she said. "If you convert to Christianity from SC, ST, or backward classes, identify as Christian and get minority benefits—no mixing castes."
As the Karnataka caste census debate heats up, the government pushes ahead with its September 22 launch, aiming to deliver social justice while navigating political crossfire. Stay tuned for updates on this evolving story.
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
