BENGALURU: Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra has said that the Union Government’s decision to conduct a caste census along with the national population census will put an end to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s attempts to divide the society in the name of a caste census conducted by the State Backward Classes Commission.
Vijayendra said that the survey done by the State Backward Classes Commission in 2015 is outdated and used only to create divisions in the society. The Centre took the decision on the caste census to ensure all backward communities get justice and are empowered, he said.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka asked the Congress to explain why it did not conduct a caste survey when it was in power at the Centre.
Congress never conducted a caste survey and the proposal for a caste census was rejected during Manmohan Singh’s tenure, Ashoka told reporters. He said that the Congress should apologise for failing to conduct a national caste census and Siddaramaiah should explain why it was not done. The Modi-led government has decided to conduct a caste census to uphold social justice, he said.
Stating that only the Centre has the authority to conduct a caste census, and not the state government, Ashoka asked what would happen to the state’s caste census report, prepared at a cost of Rs 150 crore. The CM must clarify the status of this survey as various communities are protesting against the report, he said.
The BJP leader said the Centre’s survey will be used by the Election Commission of India, but the state’s report will not serve any purpose.