Karnataka Cabinet approves caste census, to discuss findings on April 17

At least six ministers SS Mallikarjun, Laxmi Hebbalkar (Lingayats), MC Sudhakar and K Venkatesh (Vokkaligas), RB Timmapur (Scheduled Caste), and Madhu Bangarappa (Idiga) skipped the Cabinet meeting.

Minister H K Patil said there was no dissent on the Cabinet’s decision: “All ministers accepted the Cabinet decision irrespective of caste and community considerations.” He said the report was shared for review ahead of the April 17 meeting. “Even in the census, people get left out. Coverage of 94% is a big and very successful number,” Patil said, responding to concerns about the omission of 3.7 million people from the survey.

The findings of the report remain under wraps.

Backward classes welfare minister Shivaraj Tangadagi said the survey covered 59.8 million or 94.17% of the estimated 63.5 million population. “Only 3.7 million were left out, which means 5.83% missed the survey.”