D.K. Shivakumar treading carefully on caste census

Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.

Amidst intense calculation over the political ramification of the Socio-Economic and Educational Survey on the Vokkaligas and the Veerashaiva-Lingayats, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar seems to be in a delicate situation. Any wrong move could either antagonise the Vokkaliga community or the Congress high command, any one of which is likely to damage him politically.

Since the State Cabinet took up the caste census, Mr. Shivakumar has remained mostly neutral by not overtly speaking about the ‘injustice’ to the Vokkaliga community, though in the past he has criticised the H. Kantharaj Commission’s survey. This has been in contrast with the Rajya Vokkaligara Sangha that has vociferously criticised the report. So far, Mr. Shivakumar has publicly spoken about providing ‘justice’ to all communities.

While being the KPCC president and Deputy Chief Minister ties him down from airing his views publicly, multiple sources in Congress say he is not in a position to oppose the report publicly that could antagonise Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, who is believed to have nudged the State government to move on the caste census report. On the other hand, he may alienate the Vokkaliga community if he is not seen working for their welfare and the report is implemented.

“It’s a Catch-22 situation for him, who has chief ministerial ambitions. His equation with Mr. Gandhi is crucial to his future political ambition,” said a senior Congress leader.

The swift decision of the government to consider the survey recommendation in the Cabinet after the Ahmedabad session is also being seen within the party as a ploy of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to keep his Deputy out of contention for the Chief Minister’s post.

“The census report is expected to help the Chief Minister and his consolidation of backward classes even as Congress leaders from Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities are unable to express their anguish in public unlike the past.”

Not only does Mr. Shivakumar perceive a threat from the political strategy of the Chief Minister, he is believed to be conscious of a move by the Janata Dal (Secular), which he has been fighting on ground to fulfil his political ambitions. The JD(S) is dragging him into the caste census vortex repeatedly, questioning his commitment to the community’s welfare.

Acknowledging Mr. Shivakumar was ‘treading cautiously’, a source close to him said he was aware of the ploy within the government to deny him his ‘rightful share’. “Whatever has to be conveyed to the government, he has done. He cannot publicly speak against a survey that was commissioned by the earlier Congress government,” the source said.

He is also aware that his rival in the Vokkaliga leadership race and Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy is trying to take political advantage and could politically damage his quest for leadership in the community as well as the government, sources said. Mr. Kumaraswamy has ridiculed the “give me pen and paper (power)” statement of Mr. Shivakumar during the 2023 Assembly elections and asked if he had sought it for the purpose of approving caste census.

Though for optics he convened a meeting of legislators and five Ministers from the community, it became a Congress affair. JD(S) sources said no invitation was extended to the JD(S) or the BJP Vokkaliga legislators. “This is a community issue and one will have to break party lines to become a leader. He asked for pen and paper from Vokkaliga electorate during 2023 elections, but has he worked for their welfare?” a Vokkaliga functionary in the JD(S) asked.

His aides, however, argue that the situation is still in the discussion stage and not being implemented that needs vociferous protests.