Internal reservation: Dalit right and left groups start awareness campaigns on choice of nomenclature

In the run up to the survey to map Scheduled Castes (SCs) in the State and their socio, economic and education levels, Dalit left and Dalit right groups are anxiously reaching out to their communities to ensure that their populations are enumerated accurately.

Karnataka has been having intense discussions on the population data of castes and sub-castes after the contents of the Socio, Economic and Educational Survey (caste census) report was accepted by the State Cabinet. Simultaneously, several developments are unfolding, though more quietly, around another survey to map Scheduled Castes (SCs) in the State and their socio, economic and education levels, set to get underway from May 5.

In the run up to it, Dalit left and Dalit right groups are anxiously reaching out to their communities to ensure that their populations are enumerated accurately. The numbers are crucial as they are set to determine the internal reservation for the caste groups within the larger reservation matrix of 24% for SCs in Karnataka.

The caste census, conducted in 2015, has pegged the total SC population in Karnataka to be 1.09 crores or about 18.2% of the total population. The survey to identify SC households and their sub-castes is part of the work of the commission headed by retired Judge H.N. Nagmohan Das that has been asked by the Karnataka government to recommend internal reservation.

“We are urging all the castes and sub-castes in the larger Dalit right community to use the original name of their castes/sub castes during enumeration and not use nomenclatures of Adi Karnataka (AK), Adi Dravida (AD) or Adi Andhra (AA). Teams have been formed and awareness camps are being held in all districts across Karnataka,” said D. Chandrashekaraiah, an office bearer in Karnataka Chalavadi Mahasabha, representing the Dalit right group.

While Madras Presidency had notified Telugu speakers as AA and Tamil speakers under AD in 1922, the Mysore princely state had notified AK in 1925, bringing both Dalit right and Dalit left communities together. “These nomenclatures are only used for grouping, and over years, both sides have come to use them randomly, resulting in confusion,” he added.

While there are 101 Scheduled Castes in Karnataka, there has been confusion over the nomenclatures of AK, AD and AA classifications used by these groups. There are about 29 castes/sub-castes among Dalit right and 32 castes/sub-castes among Dalit left, both of which are labelled as “untouchable” castes. The rest are either bracketed as “Others” or those that are “touchable” castes, including Lambani/ Banjara, Bhovi, Korma-Koracha and Beda Jangamas.

The issue over slicing up of 24% reservation following the Supreme Court’s order on internal reservation comes from the fact that both Dalit right and Dalit left community members have AK certificates, depending on the regions. Both communities are also found to be using nomenclatures of AA, AD and AK.