The State government has to accept the socio-economic survey report (popularly known as caste census) prepared and submitted by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes, Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah said on Saturday, and warned the government that the Congress would support the agitation of the backward classes if it did not do so.
The report was submitted to the commission’s then member secretary Mohammed Mohsin (Backward Classes Welfare Department) on September 21, 2019, by the then chairman H. Kantharaj.
Report ‘leaked’
In the run-up to the 2018 Assembly elections, the report’s “leaked” data had created a flutter in political circles by suggesting that the numerical strength of castes could be significantly different from what was traditionally assumed. The report’s content was never officially made known.
At a press conference organised by the Karnataka Backward Classes Federation here on Saturday, Mr. Siddaramaiah said his government had ordered the commission to conduct the survey in 2015. A whopping ₹167.77 crore was spent to conduct the survey and identify the socio-economic conditions of the backward classes.
The government seems to have not accepted the report, said Mr. Siddaramaiah and urged Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and Health and Family Welfare Minister B. Sriramulu to accept it. Interestingly, Mr. Sriramulu recently said the report was never officially submitted to the government.
Backward classes people would come to the streets and launch an agitation against the government if the report was not accepted and implemented, the former Chief Minister warned.
‘Constitute commission’
The Congress leader also demanded the re-constitution of the commission. Commission’s chairperson and members have not been appointed by the government after Mr. Kantharaj’s resignation, Mr. Siddaramaiah said.
The Centre had already constituted the commission. The Supreme Court too had given a ruling for permanent constitution of the commission, he said.