K'taka govt remains undecided on caste census as special Cabinet meeting ends

Bengaluru, April 17 (IANS) The special Cabinet meeting convened on Thursday to decide on the caste census report ended without any conclusion.

The discussion has been deferred to the next Cabinet meeting, which is likely to be held next week. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has asked Cabinet colleagues to submit their opinions and objections, either in writing or orally, at the next meeting.

Sources said that Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and a few ministers opposed the caste census report vehemently.

They said that Minister for Horticulture S.S. Mallikarjun also raised his voice against the caste census report prominently.

Minister Mallikarjun told media persons after the special Cabinet meeting that the subject has been deferred.

“No one has given their strong opinion as such on the caste census report. They have made appeals to correct the shortcomings and lacunae in the report. There is no such thing as opposition and in favour of the caste census report,” he said.

When asked about the rumour that he objected to the report, Minister Mallikarjun said that no talks on the basis of caste took place.

“The discussion took place on conducting the fresh survey. Individually, ministers expressed their take on the report. A few more are yet to express their opinions, which is why it’s been deferred,” he said.

Minister for Transport Ramalinga Reddy stated that the special Cabinet meeting ended inconclusively, and the matter will be decided in the next Cabinet meeting.

“No decision has been made regarding the caste census report. The ministers are given a time of four to five days. The matter has been discussed in detail, and it was positive. There is no question of opposition or favouring regarding the report,” he said.

Minister for Labour Santosh Lad said, “It’s such a big issue and cannot be concluded in one meeting. No one has objected, and everyone is positive about the report,” he said.

Minister for Large and Medium Industries M.B. Patil said, “The discussion is going on. All have given their opinion, which will continue in the next Cabinet meeting.”

Minister for Cooperation K.N. Rajanna said that there is no opposition to the report.

“All ministers have sought information on the report, and time is required to provide the information. In the next Cabinet, the discussion will be completed and the decision will also be taken in that meeting,” he said.

Minister for Minor Irrigation N.S. Boseraju stated the special meeting was inconclusive today. The discussion will continue in the next meeting.

Minister for RDPR, IT and BT Priyank Kharge stated that there is no objection among ministers to provide social justice to the people of Karnataka.

In 2014, Siddaramaiah (during his first tenure as the Chief Minister) ordered the Karnataka Socio-Economic and Educational Census. A committee headed by the then Backward Classes Commission Chairman, H. Kantharaju, surveyed a cost of around Rs 169 crore. The report was ready by 2016; it was, however, put in cold storage by subsequent governments.

The Congress and JD-S coalition government headed by H.D. Kumaraswamy and the BJP government headed by B.S. Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai also kept the report pending.

In 2020, the Karnataka government, headed by the BJP, appointed Jayaprakash Hegde as the Commission chief, but the report was not made public.

Hegde submitted the final report to the Siddaramaiah government on February 29, 2024. Opposition parties, the BJP and JD-S, have opposed the implementation of the report.

The caste census report submitted by the Backward Classes Commission has allegedly pegged the Muslim population in the state at 18.08 per cent and recommends 8 per cent reservation for the community, sources said.

Influential communities have claimed that the caste census report is flawed and warned of protests. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has earlier stated that he is committed to the implementation of the caste census report.

--IANS

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