Karnataka Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar counters Congress president Mallikarjuna Kharge accusation on caste census
The Hindu
His comments came after Congress president Mallikarjuna M. Kharge claimed, during a discussion in the Rajya Sabha on December 11, that Karnataka Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar and the BJP are opposed to the caste census in Karnataka.
A day after being accused by Congress president Mallikarjuna M. Kharge of opposing the release of caste census, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar said that he had not opposed the caste census.
“I have not opposed caste census anywhere. I only want the caste census to be undertaken scientifically, and should be properly done,” he told mediapersons in Belagavi on December 12.
His comments came after Congress president Mallikarjuna M. Kharge claimed, during a discussion in the Rajya Sabha on December 11, that Mr. Shivakumar and the BJP are opposed to the caste census in Karnataka.
The KPCC president said, “Many legislators have expressed misgivings that caste census has not been conducted properly. There have been complaints that enumerators have not gone house-to-house as part of the survey. Every community seeks rights as per their population. Even scheduled castes and tribes seek rights and allocation as per their population.”
Some time ago, Mr. Shivakumar had signed a memorandum of the Vokkaliga Sangha, which petitioned Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recently, opposing the socio-economic and educational survey (caste survey) conducted by H. Kantharaj Commission in 2015 on the ground that the survey was not scientific.
The Congress, which has promised a caste census nationally, is currently a divided house in Karnataka on the issue. While the Chief Minister, on multiple occasion, has publicly stated that the survey report would be accepted, leaders from the dominant land owning Veerashaiva-Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities oppose the survey after leaked data showed their population are far less than the figures they claim. They include Mr. Shivakumar, a Vokkaliga leader, and Shamanur Shivashankarappa, a Veerashaiva-Lingayat leader.
Mr. Shivakumar said, “We have sought clarification on whether the caste census has been conducted scientifically. We have faith in the socio-economic survey. I fully endorse the Congress’s policy on social justice. According to the Centre’s caste categorisation, even I am a leader of backward classes. As the president of a party, I have to see everyone equally.” He had discussed the issue of survey report not having the signature of the member-secretary with Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes K. Jayaprakash Hegde. “The question now arises as to how the report becomes valid without the signature of the member-secretary.”
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