As chorus for caste-based census intensifies, a cross-party delegation led by Nitish Kumar meets PM Narendra Modi On Monday, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is facing the heat of the opposition, who are demanding that the Socio Economic Caste Census (SECC) report of 2015 be made public. “…the matter of caste census is with the court as well as the Backward Classes Commission. We are probing it,” Bommai had said.
Responding to the issue, Kota Srinivas Pujari, BJP minister, backward classes welfare department, said, “The report is in the evaluation stage. Once the report is ready, we will take it to the cabinet for approval and there will be a call.
Interestingly, all the incumbent cabinet ministers including KS Eshwarappa, Pujari, R Ashoka had demanded from the then Siddaramaiah government to release the census report when they were in opposition.
In the wake of the passage of the 127th Constitutional Amendment Bill empowering states to fix quotas in the Other Backward Classes category, there have been demands by regional parties to conduct Socio-Economic Caste Census in the country to understand the status of castes. .
Former CM and Congress leader Siddaramaiah has targeted the Bommai-led state government for not releasing the report. Siddaramaiah said, “… I urge the state and the Center to release a nationwide report soon to ensure equality among all castes.”
Siddaramaiah had launched the Socio-Economic Caste Census in April 2015 at a cost of Rs 133 crore, but did not release it despite being ready in 2017, when the Congress was still in power. This census was conducted after a gap of 84 years. He said that he wanted to release the data before the 2018 assembly elections, but some members of Congress opposed it.
After the Congress lost the 2018 state elections and had to form an alliance with the JD(S) to form the government led by HD Kumaraswamy, a blame game began between the two parties where Kumaraswamy took the entire issue “from politics”. inspired”.
According to sources, the dominant caste like Lingayats constitute only 9.8% of the state’s population of six crore, Vokkaligas 8.2%, while SCs, STs, OBCs and other minorities form a major part.
The monsoon session in Karnataka is scheduled to be held from September 13 to 24 and the issue of caste census is expected to be raised.
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