BENGALURU: Inter-caste marriages are still considered a taboo even in a cosmopolitan city like Bengaluru. This was evident when enumerators conducting the socio-economic survey visited some houses in the city.

Though there are many who have tied the knot from different castes, they are reluctant to talk about it. Enumerators are finding it difficult to get the column on inter-caste marriage filled as couples are refusing to reveal their caste , especially if one of them belongs to a backward caste.

"Many women, who opted for inter-caste marriage, refused to specify the caste of their spouses separately. They want to identify themselves with the caste of their husband's family," said KC Kalavathi, a school teacher leading the survey in Ganganagar, north Bengaluru.

According to enumerator C Puttaswamy, some inter-caste couples said they have chosen to lead a life away from the caste hierarchy and should be considered 'casteless.'

'What should be my kid's caste?'

There is confusion over which caste should the inter-caste couple declare for their children. Several citizens who have converted (not officially) without the consent of their community elders are worried about the caste segment, since it will play a major role in seat and job reservations.

Shewtha (name changed) from Mangaluru, said: "I am a Christian and married a Hindu. Both of us have different caste certificates. I am eligible for state schemes under the minority quota. I don't know whether to declare my caste or my husband's for the survey. If I declare my husband's caste, I will no longer fall under the minority category to be a beneficiary."

"I am a Lingayat and married a dalit. We haven't made caste certificates for our children. Now, we have declared my children as dalits,'' another person said. Manava Mantapa, an organization that promotes inter-caste marriages, has taken up a campaign asking inter-caste couples to specify their castes separately.

Nataraj Huliyar of Manava Mantapa said there is an option for mentioning inter-caste and inter-religious marriages as code numbers 03 and 04, respectively, in the 14th category of the 55-question survey form.

"People must enter their respective castes if they have married outside their caste or religion. That will help us know the number of people who have risen above caste considerations, and work towards a more secular society," he added.

