He said the caste-wise census was a must to bring the communities into the mainstream, who were subjected to injustice due to casteism.
CM Siddaramaiah (Siddaramiah/Twitter)
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has vowed to “receive” the caste-wise census report, which he had commissioned during his first stint as chief minister from 2013 to 2018.
The much-debated caste census report has been lying with the Backward Classes Commission, with multiple chief ministers in the last five years refusing to receive the report and table it in the legislature.
The caste census — which assessed socio-educational and economical status of various caste groups in Karnataka — was meant to help the government with ground insights for policy decisions, including reservation, fund allocation, etc.
Siddaramaiah said the caste-wise census was a must to bring those communities into the mainstream of society, who were subjected to injustice due to casteism.
Siddaramaiah alleged that the then chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, during whose tenure (May 2018-July 2019) the caste-wise census report was ready, scuttled its tabling by threatening the then Backward Classes Welfare Minister C Puttaranga Shetty.
Speaking after performing the ground-breaking ceremony of Sri Kaginele Mahasansthan Kanaka Gurupeeth, in Bengaluru on Sunday, 2 July, Siddaramaiah said the Kuruba (shepherds) community, which he belonged to, constitute about seven percent of the total population of the state.
“We are seven percent of the total population (in the state), which means that out of seven crore population, we are 49 lakh. That’s why to find out the caste-wise population, I had assigned the then chairperson of the Karnataka Backward Classes Commission H Kantharaj,” Siddaramaiah said.
According to the chief minister, the main purpose behind commissioning the caste-wise census was to find out where people stand socially and economically.
He added that the caste-wise census did not happen even after the independence of the country. He dismissed the allegation that it was ready during his previous tenure.
“If it was ready, I would have received it definitely. I wouldn’t have bothered about anything,” Siddaramaiah said.
He could not receive the report because it was not signed by the member-secretary of the commission. By the time he could receive the report, Congress lost power in the state in 2018.
Siddaramaiah vowed to get the report saying that it will help give preferential treatment to those communities which remained backwards socially, economically and politically.
However, according to him, there is a glitch because the member-secretary did not sign the document. In this regard, he said he would speak to the current commission chairperson K Jayaprakash Hegde.
“We will certainly receive it. It has to be signed first. There is some technical problem. We will take it definitely because we have to give preferential treatment accordingly,” Siddaramaiah said.
He said, “It is necessary for tabling the budget to know the population of each caste and also their socio-economic and political status. Then only we can give them preferential treatment. Otherwise, it cannot be given. For this reason, we have to receive the report.”
Stating that he had commissioned the caste-wise census during his first stint as chief minister, Siddaramaiah said he now got another opportunity to head the state and will get the report tabled.
The chief minister also promised to implement the five guarantees announced during the election irrespective of the difficulties his government may face.
Speaking to the South First before the assembly elections, Siddaramiah said, “During our tenure, I conducted the caste survey in Karnataka for the first time after the 1932 census. There was no caste-wise census since then.”
“In order to give preferential treatment to vulnerable sections of the society, there must be empirical data. That data isn’t there. That is why I conducted the survey and spent ₹262 crore on it,” he added.
Speaking about the delay, Siddaramiah said, “That caste-based survey is pending with the permanent Backward Classes Commission. When HD Kumaraswamy was chief minister, then backward classes minister Puttaranga Shetty decided to receive the report, but HD Kumaraswamy asked him not to receive it.”
He further adds, “So the HD Kumaraswamy government didn’t receive it. Neither did the BS Yediyurappa government nor the Basavaraj Bommai government. It is still pending with Backward Classes Commission.”
The chief minister then promised, “When we come to power, we will immediately receive the report and we will take action as per the empirical data available in the report.”
(With PTI inputs)
Jul 06, 2024
Jul 06, 2024
Jul 06, 2024
Jul 06, 2024
Jul 06, 2024
Jul 06, 2024
