Lingayat and Vokkaliga organisations to hold joint protest

A meeting of office-bearers of Rajya Vokkaligara Sangha and Akhila Bharatha Veerashaiva Mahasabha on Friday decided to hold a joint protest against the Socio-Economic and Educational Survey (caste census) report submitted by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes.

The two dominant communities are unhappy with the population data that has been collected as part of the commission’s survey in 2015.

The survey report was submitted by K. Jayaprakash Hegde-led commission in 2024, but only the population figure of castes, recommendation for reclassification of castes and procedures adopted in collection of data, among others, have been released to Ministers so far.

The issue is likely to come up for discussion on May 2 when the State Cabinet will meet. The representatives of two community organisations met nearly after a decade. Mahasabha national president Shamanur Shivashankarappa was present.

According to mahasabha secretary H.M. Renuka Prasanna, while a joint protest is being planned, discussion on legal challenges that they could mount against the survey was also part of the meeting.

“Joint strategies to be adopted to oppose the survey report were discussed along with ways elected representatives could be roped in. The date of protest is yet to be decided.”