Siddaramaiah seeks release of socio-educational survey findings, 75% quota

Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during the Karnataka State Backward Castes Federation’s silver jubilee program at Palace Grounds in Bengaluru on Sunday. | Photo Credit: SUDHAKARA JAIN Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday demanded that the findings of the Socio-Educational Survey conducted by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes, popularly referred to as the caste census, be made public.Mr. Siddaramaiah also urged the State government to act on the report, which was submitted to him shortly before he stepped down as Chief Minister. The report has not yet been placed before the Cabinet.The Karnataka State Backward Castes Federation has been demanding the implementation of the report in its original form, he said while speaking at the Federation’s silver jubilee celebrations here, where he was felicitated.Speaking at the convention organised by the federation, Mr. Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed that the contents of the report not be made public. He appealed to Federation president K.M. Ramachandrappa to take steps to have the stay vacated.“I believe that everyone here, including the Chief Minister, will listen to me. The report must be implemented. You should get social justice. Dalits, backward classes and minorities should get up to 75% reservation. Everyone should get a reservation according to their population. Only then can an equal society be built,” he said.Quota in LS and legislatureMr. Siddaramaiah called for reservation of up to 75% for Dalits, backward classes and minorities, saying quotas should reflect the population of different communities. He demanded political reservation based on population in the Lok Sabha and State legislatures to ensure equitable representation.Mr. Siddaramaiah said there was “no shame” in identifying oneself as belonging to a backward caste and described the caste system as a historical source of inequality and denial of opportunities.“I am a Shudra. We are all Shudras, including Lingayats and Vokkaligas,” he said, arguing that communities classified as Shudras had historically been denied access to education and other opportunities. The Federation’s felicitation of Mr. Siddaramaiah provided him a platform to reiterate his social justice agenda.Recalling his decision to withdraw from electoral politics, Mr. Siddaramaiah said elections had become prohibitively expensive. The former Chief Minister said he was withdrawing from electoral politics and not from public life.Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara hailed Mr. Siddaramaiah for mobilising the AHINDA (minorities, backward classes and SC/STs) bloc.“He created the AHINDA movement to socially, politically, and economically strengthen communities that had been neglected. It was not just for his politics; AHINDA has been potent for our politics too,” Mr. Parameshwara said.Ministers Santosh Lad, Madhu Bangarappa, Puttarangashetty, Ajay Singh and Byrathi Suresh were present. Published - September 06, 2026 08:43 pm IST