MANGALURU: Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment and MSMEs Shobha Karandlaje on Thursday accused the Congress government in Karnataka of hatching a conspiracy to increase the reservation for minorities through a fresh caste census.
Talking to reporters in Mangaluru, she alleged that the State Government has “one-point agenda behind the caste census which is to show that the population of minorities has increased and thereby increase reservation for them.”
She alleged that whenever Siddaramaiah comes to power, he tries to divide people on the basis of religion and caste, and the fresh caste census is intended to further divide the people.
People of the state will not accept it, Shobha said, questioning the sudden U-turn of the CM despite stating that he will implement the caste census amid opposition to it. “So much money was spent on it in a span of 10 years. Two commissions were appointed,” Shobha recalled.
Expressing serious doubts about the completion of the fresh caste census within 90 days, she said the caste numbers will be written sitting in AC rooms. “Did the Jayaprakash Hegde Commission visit your homes to check your caste?” she asked.
Earlier, she said the fresh caste survey was announced and was intended to divert people’s attention from the Bengaluru stampede that killed 11 people.
Shobha blamed the State Government for not providing land for railways, national highways, and other Central projects, resulting in delays in the implementation of several key infrastructural projects in Karnataka.
“Nitin Gadkari (union transport minister) asks us not to approach him, stating that Karnataka is not ready to give land for highways and DCs are not cooperating. Every time when I approach him, he asks why the South Indian states are not ready to give land,” the minister said.
She also took serious exception to Siddaramaiah not attending NITI Aayog meetings.
“How many NITI Aayog meetings have you attended? Then how will you present the state’s demands? You don’t want development. You only make drama on the pretext of guarantees,” she asked the CM. Further, she said that the MSME minister of the state has not met her so far.