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Yathindra Siddaramaiah blamed resistance from influential individuals from certain communities for the failure in implementing the findings of the caste survey in Karnataka.
Congress MLC Yathindra Siddaramaiah. (Photo: Instagram)
Congress MLC and Karnataka Chief Minister’s son, Yathindra Siddaramaiah, slammed his own party for failing to implement the findings of the caste survey in Karnataka, blaming resistance from influential individuals from certain communities.
“If we had released and implemented the caste survey, it would have strengthened the backward class communities. These communities have been marginalised for a long time, and the survey could have paved the way for increased reservation for them,” he was quoted as saying by India Today.
Yathindra said the survey could have provided structural benefits to disadvantaged groups and said some influential people from particular communities had opposed it due to “trivial reasons”.
Karnataka Caste Census
Karnataka’s Cabinet decided to carry out a fresh Socio-Economic and Education Survey, also referred to as Karnataka caste census, to address the concerns of certain communities. The Congress said the previous caste survey data was conducted 10 years ago and needed to be updated.
“We have taken a decision in the cabinet. It was a unanimous decision in the cabinet that a new survey is to be conducted,” Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told reporters after a special cabinet meeting.
The government will consult the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission and will give a 90-day period to conduct a fresh survey and submit a report. This came after the Congress top brass on Tuesday directed the state government to hold caste re-enumeration in Karnataka.
ALSO READ: Karnataka Congress Bets Big On Fresh Caste Survey, Toes Party High Command’s Line
‘Not Wasteful Expenditure’
Yathindra defended the caste survey, saying it was not a wasteful expenditure but a necessary exercise that would ultimately benefit the people of the state. He also accused the previous governments led by JD(S) and the BJP of failing to act on the matter.
“If those governments had not opposed and had acted on the previous survey, there would have been no need for a fresh one,” he was quoted as saying by Deccan Herald, while refuting opposition claims that the survey was being done to safeguard his father’s position as Chief Minister.
Siddaramaiah had blamed former CM and now union minister HD Kumaraswamy for blocking the original caste survey report when it was ready to be submitted after his first tenure as chief minister. The report could not be tabled before his tenure ended in 2018.
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international…Read More
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international… Read More
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