Caste census: K’taka govt removes Christian tag; BJP calls it ‘victory’ of Hindu community leaders
Karnataka’s government has dropped Christian labels from several castes in its ongoing caste census survey, responding to sharp criticism from opposition leaders. The move comes after protests over what some called an attempt to blur lines between Hindu communities and promote religious conversions.
The Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission, which is leading the socio-economic and educational survey, announced the change in a statement Tuesday. They confirmed that castes like Adi Andhra Christian, Adi Dravida Christian, Madiga Christian, and others—no longer appear in the final list of 1,561 castes. You won’t find them on pages 57 to 89 of the report or in the survey app used for data collection.
This decision followed a heated meeting on Monday, where the commission reviewed objections from BJP leaders. Key figures, including Legislative Council Opposition leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, former Union Minister A. Narayanaswamy, and state BJP general secretary V. Sunil Kumar, had submitted a memorandum urging the removal. They argued that listing these Christian sub-castes from Hindu backgrounds could encourage conversions and threaten the reservation system for Scheduled Castes.
BJP leaders hailed the update as a big win for their campaign. “The Backward Classes Commission has finally hidden the Christian Scheduled Castes from the survey list,” the party said in a statement. They thanked community leaders, religious heads, and politicians who spoke out against the inclusion, calling it a success in protecting Hindu society.
The controversy erupted when the survey initially added 48 new Christian castes, sparking statewide protests. BJP members held press conferences in over 10 locations on Monday to rally against it. On September 21, the commission removed 33 of these castes. Now, with 14 more dropped from the Scheduled Castes category, the party believes the issue is resolved.
A BJP delegation met commission chairman Madhusudhan Naik for over an hour on Tuesday, pushing for full removal. V. Sunil Kumar, a former minister and BJP general secretary, explained the concerns: “Christians who converted from Hindu sub-castes were listed as 46 new castes in the survey. This not only boosts conversions but risks weakening future reservations.”
He added that the commission yielded to their protests: “Two days ago, they cut 33 castes, and today 14 more from Scheduled Castes. Our fight paid off, and we hope the survey moves forward smoothly, respecting the Constitution.”
The caste census in Karnataka aims to map socio-economic conditions and guide policies on education and jobs. With these changes, the survey can proceed without further hitches on religious sensitivities.
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