Raichur: A massive protest march, drawing thousands from the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community, wound its way from Harshita Garden to the Deputy Commission-er’s office in Raichur on Monday, causing temporary traffic disruptions.

The demonstrators, united in their opposition to the state’s caste census report, submitted a memorandum to district authorities, demanding its immediate withdrawal and a new, transparent census to reflect accurate demographic data.

Community leaders, including the city’s BJP MLA Dr. Shivaraj Patil, con-demned the report as a deliberate attempt to fracture the Veerashaiva-Lingayat unity, warning of a revolution if the government persists with its implementa-tion. Congress MLC Basanagouda Badarli echoed the sentiment, emphasising society’s primacy over individual categorisations and hinting at resignations if the issue remains unresolved, noting prior communications with the govern-ment.

The rally, held at Harshita Garden under the guidance of community leaders and representatives, spotlighted grievances over the census’s alleged unscien-tific and unconstitutional methodology. Leaders criticised the report for drasti-cally underrepresenting the community’s population, branding it a divisive tactic that threatens social cohesion and misguides policy-making.

This demonstration underscores rising tensions over the caste census, with the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community vowing to escalate their campaign unless the state reconsiders its stance. The protest’s scale and intensity signal a broader call for fairness and accuracy in demographic assessments, resonating across Raichur and beyond.