Karnataka caste census 'leaked': Split data projects SCs, Muslims as largest communities

BENGALURU: If the leaked data of castes in Socioeconomic Educational Survey (SES) - 2015 is to be believed, Muslims make up the single largest community in Karnataka with a population of 76,76,247 (12.83%). The report contained a 'controversial' split of certain major communities. Apparently, the data, yet to be officially authenticated, showed Muslims as the single largest community, but the clubbed data otherwise showed the Scheduled Castes as the single largest. The report has to be officially released after a special cabinet meeting convened by Chief Minister Siddarmaiah on April 17. One of the Congress legislators had shared the leaked data with TNIE. "The original data had to be split as people from various communities wished to register with their sub-castes with the code given to their respective castes during the survey," a source informed TNIE, defending the split. "Not only the Vokkaligas, Lingayats, Veerashaivas, the backward Edigas, Billavas, SC Left and Right, Bhovi, Lambanis, ST Valmiki Nayaka and ST Others' population was split as per sub-sects and castes," an anthropologist and Congress sympathiser said. The Vokkaliga community, which is predominant in the Old Mysuru region, came second with 50,65,642 (8.47%) in the population chart, followed by Kurubas at 44,11,758 (7.38%), SC Left 35,99,895 (6.02%), SC Right 34,98,188 (5.85%) and ST Valmiki-Nayaka 30,31,656 (5.07%). Then comes the state's dominant Lingayat community at 30,14,696 (5.04%), followed by SC (Others) 19,82,011 (3.31%) and Veerashaiva-Lingayats 17,88,279 (2.99%). The Kuruhinashetty Lingayat community at 8,325 (0.01%), Ganiga Lingayats 23,483 (0.04%), Beda Jangama Lingayats 24,127 (0.04%), Lalgonda Lingayats 29,280 (0.05%) ,Reddy Lingayats 71,789 (0.12%), Jangama Lingayats 94,282 (0.16%), Nonaba Lingayats 1,61,168 (0.27%), Sadar Lingayats 2,55,456 (0.43%) and Panchamasali Lingayats 10,71,302 (1.79%) were featured as separate entities.