BENGALURU: Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday said legislators representing various communities have a scope to debate the Socio-Economic and Educational Survey (SEC) report, also known as the caste census, which was accepted by the Siddaramaiah cabinet on Friday.
“The chief minister said people’s representatives will be allowed to discuss the caste census report in the Assembly. What can be done more transparently than this?” he said in response to certain communities expressing concern about the census.
“They (Veerashaiva Mahasabha) are going to protect their interests; why should we criticise them? Let them express their views according to the Constitution,” he told reporters.
He was replying to mahasabha national president and senior Congress legislator Shamanuru Shivashankarappa’s criticism of the census and demand for setting up an expert committee to look into it.
Asked about his previous statement that the Vokkaliga community should back him ahead of the Assembly elections, he said, “That is a different matter. Now I am the president of the Congress. Providing justice to everyone is my duty.”
Meanwhile, responding to opposition parties alleging government apathy towards ‘Karaga’ festivities in Bengaluru, Shivakumar said, “Bengaluru is a great symbol of unity. Dargahs are also visited during the Karaga festival. It is mean to do politics in the name of religion. No one should do this.”
Power for Seva Dal at taluks, dists
Shivakumar on Sunday assured the Congress’ wing Seva Dal that it will be given power at the taluk and district levels. “Seva Dal is the pillar of the Congress. Don’t feel that you are at the bottom of the party. I am thinking of giving power to the Seva Dal at taluk and district levels,” he said at a state-level conference of the Bharatiya Seva Dal at Bharat Jodo Bhavan.
“Society recognises those who do service. That is why in our society, there are more temples of Lord Hanuman, devotee of Lord Ram, than of Lord Ram’s father Dasharatha Maharaj. Similarly, you are the pillar of the Congress. All Seva Dal workers should keep this in mind,” he said.
“The Seva Dal was established for the purpose of national security. It started during Jawahar Lal Nehru’s tenure and has been going on till now under Mallikarjun Kharge’s leadership. You should get rid of the idea that Seva Dal is a side wing of the Congress and does not have recognition. Nehru and Indira Gandhi themselves took over the post of Seva Dal presidents because they believed that Seva Dal imparts leadership qualities,” he said.