The release of the Karnataka caste census has shifted the state’s political terrain, triggering reactions that stretch far beyond its borders. By revealing that Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Muslims together form over 50 per cent of the state’s population, the report challenges long-held assumptions about social hierarchies ~ and with it, the distribution of power and policy. At the centre of this maelstrom is Congress Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

A long-time advocate of social justice and a leader who has built his politics around the welfare of backward classes, he now finds himself navigating a treacherous path. While the release of the report aligns with his ideological commitment to equity, it also risks alienating politically powerful communities like the Lingayats and Vokkaligas, who now find themselves statistically diminished.

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