A new case has come to light on Sunday (September 7, 2025) regarding the socio-economic survey to be held in Karnataka. The Apex Body of Lingayats has asked members of the influential community of Karnataka to reveal themselves as Veerashaiva-Lingayat in the upcoming socio-economic survey. This is because people of this community politically influential are demanding recognition from Hindus as a different religion.

The official letter in this regard has come out a few weeks before the caste calculation process starting from 22 September. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is going to start this survey in the state on the instructions of AICC, including Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. Apart from this, a target has been set to complete this three months after the start of this survey process.

BJP’s Hindu vote bank may hover in danger

If the people of the Lingayat community accept the call made by their apex institution, then it will make a large number of different numbers from the main Hindu vote bank of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Lingayat community population claims to be 11 percent in the state

The All India Veerashaiva-Lingayat Mahasabha has made this call for the Lingayat community after the reports came to light, according to which the number of their communities in Karnataka was 11 percent in the state’s total population in the last survey conducted in the state, this figure is much lower than the state’s 18 percent SC population and 13 percent of the population of Muslims.

Lingayat community leaders objected to data

However, leaders of the Lingayat community have often claimed 17 percent stake in the total population of the state. Leaders of Lingayat community from North Karnataka, MB Patil and Lakshmi Habelkar, had openly disagreed on the population figures being claimed based on estimates. He emphasized that the population of the community is much more of the data mentioned in the report.

Also read: ED’s big action against land mafia in Rajasthan, many locations raided in land fraud case, cash worth crores seized

Karnataka survey: The population of Muslims and Scheduled Castes in Karnataka has increased fiercely, while the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community saw a slight increase. According to the survey of the caste census conducted in Karnataka, the Muslim population increased by more than 90 percent, while the population of Lingayats saw a single digit growth.

According to the report by Deccan Herald, in 1984 the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community was about 17 percent of the state’s population. At the same time, according to the new social and educational survey (also known as caste census), by 2015, this community has come down to 11 percent. These results of the survey have drawn the lines of concern on the foreheads of prominent leaders of this community.

What does a new survey say?

In the Vaktaswamy Commission Survey conducted in 1984, the population of the Lingayat community was 61 lakh 14 thousand 466 and their percentage in the state was 16.92. At the same time, in the survey conducted in 2015, this population reached 66 lakh 35 thousand 233 and their percentage in the state was 11.09 percent. In this way, the population of this community increased by 8.50 percent.

After this, in 1984, the population of this community in 1984 was 57 lakh 31 thousand 27 and their percentage in the state was 15.86, which increased to 1 crore 9 lakh 29 thousand 347 in 2015 and the percentage in the state increased to 18.27. Their population increased by 90 percent.

Looking at the Vokkaliga community, its population in 1984 was 42 lakh 19 thousand 520 and their percentage was 11.68. In 2015, the number of this population was 61 lakh 68 thousand 652 and percent 10.31. The population of this community increased by 46 percent.

If we look at the Muslim population, inside Karnataka, 39 lakh 63 thousand 71 was in 1984 and the percentage was 10.97. In 2015, this number increased to 76 lakh 99 thousand 425 and their percentage was 12.8. In this way, their population was seen to have a 94 percent increase.

Apart from this, in 1984, this population was 25 lakh 1 thousand 465 and its percentage was 6.92 in 1984. In 2015 it increased to 43 lakh 72 thousand 847 and its percentage 7.3. If you look like this, this population increased by 74 percent.

Looking at the Brahmins, in 1984, this population was 13 lakh 77 thousand 550 and its percentage was 3.81 percent. With a slight increase in 2015, its number was 15 lakh 64 thousand 741 and its percentage was 2.6 percent. In this way, the increase in this population was 13.50 percent.

How much change came from 1984 to 2015?

Venkataswamy Commission conducted a social and educational survey in 1984, including 91% of the state’s population. Veerashaiva-Lingayat was at number one, followed by Scheduled Castes and Vokkaliga. Muslims were at number four, then Kuruba and Brahmins were the end. Scheduled Castes were the largest group in the 2015 survey, followed by Muslims. Veerashaiva-Lingayat was in third place and then Vokkaliga, Kuruba and Brahmin. It remains to be seen what happens to the 2015 survey, because Lingayat and Vokkaliga leaders, even within the Congress, have a Khilafat.

Also read: Karnataka government will soon bring Rohit Vemula Act, Siddaramaiah reacted on Rahul Gandhi’s letter