BJP slams Congress over caste survey report, calls it political ploy to divert attention from stampede tragedy
Addressing media persons here on Wednesday, Mysuru MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar said that the survey conducted by the State Government was a wasteful, unscientific, and politically motivated exercise.
'The BJP had always opposed it on the grounds that it was unscientific, and the Congress, with its decision to junk the original report, has conceded that the report is flawed,' said Mr. Wadiyar.
He also said that the Centre's planned caste-based census in 2026 would render any parallel State-level effort redundant, and urged the State Government to drop the move as it amounted to wastage of tax payers' money.
'The State Government has proved its incompetence in conducting such an exercise and since the Centre is already taking it up, there was no need for duplication of efforts,' said Mr. Wadiyar.
That the decision to re-do the caste survey was taken by the Congress high command in Delhi, raises questions whether Karnataka is ruled by an elected government or office bearers of the All India Congress Committee, he added.
'It is not the Karnataka Cabinet or the people of the State who are taking these decisions – it is being dictated by unelected leaders in Delhi. Is it Rahul Gandhi and K.C. Venugopal who are running Karnataka?' he asked.
Pointing out that more than ₹165 crore was spent over 10 years ago in preparing the report, Mr. Wadiyar said that people need to know how the Congress intends to compensate for it.
Raghu Kautilya, BJP OBC Morcha State president echoed similar sentiments, and said that with the Congress in trouble in Karnataka over the stampede tragedy, the party leaders have chosen to discard the report to divert public attention and retain their posts.
The Congress' move is a clear indicator that the party was prepared to jettison the interest of the backward classes to remain in power, said Mr. Raghu.
He also challenged Congress leaders' claim that a new caste survey could be completed in 90 days. 'Is this serious governance or just another headline-grabbing move?' he asked.
The BJP leaders said nearly ₹165 crore spent on the Kantharaj survey should be compensated to the tax payers and urged the State Government to focus on practical development issues rather than engaging in politically motivated census exercises.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
13 minutes ago
- Time of India
Bills for removal of PM, CMs, ministers tabled in Lok Sabha, sent to JPC
Amit Shah NEW DELHI: The ongoing acrimony between the opposition and the treasury, witnessed throughout the monsoon session of Parliament, reached a flashpoint in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday when Union home minister Amit Shah introduced the three bills that provide a legal framework for removing the Prime Minister, Union ministers, chief ministers, and ministers in states and Union territories arrested and detained on serious criminal charges. Shah said that the three legislations will be referred to a joint parliamentary committee for detailed scrutiny even as opposition MPs, essentially from Trinamool Congress and Congress, launched into aggressive protests and tore copies of the bills. They trooped into the well of the House, near Shah's front-row seat. Bill is in violation of presumption of innocence, says oppn in Lok Sabha Opposition MPs said the bills violated constitutional principles, undermined federalism, and inverted the principle of "innocent until proven guilty." They warned of potential misuse for political purposes and the risk of transforming India into a police state. Pandemonium broke out as soon as home minister Amit Shah sought to move the three bills — the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025; the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025; and Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025 — which propose that if the PM, ministers or CMs are arrested and detained for 30 days for offences carrying a jail term of at least five years, they will lose their positions on the 31st day. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The 5 Books Warren Buffett Recommends You To Read in 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Shah justified the legislations, 'We cannot be so shameless (ham itne nirlajj nahi ho sakte) as to occupy constitutional positions while facing charges,' home minister said. Initially, only Trinamool MPs, led by Kalyan Banerjee, stormed the well. After Congress netas K C Venugopal and Manish Tewari spoke, Venugopal tore a copy of the bill, and Congress MPs joined TMC in protest. Venugopal questioned Shah's claim of upholding public morality, referring to Shah's 2010 arrest as Gujarat's home minister. Shah countered, stating he had resigned on moral grounds before his arrest on 'false' allegations and refrained from holding constitutional positions until cleared by courts. 'I want to remind Congress that I had already resigned before being arrested, and even after being released on bail, I did not take any constitutional position until I was proven innocent by the court.' He added, 'The court dismissed the false case against me, stating that it was motivated by political vendetta. ' Three opposition MPs — Asaduddin Owaisi (AIMIM), N K Premachandran (RSP) and Manish Tewari (Congress) — opposed the bill saying that it is in violation of presumption of innocence, which is the bedrock of administration and a marked assualt on the basic structure of the Constitution. Tewari called the bills 'squarely destructive' to the Constitution's basic structure, arguing they bypassed due process and made investigating officers the 'boss of the Prime Minister'. Owaisi accused the govt of enabling executive agencies to act as judge, jury, and executioner based on flimsy allegations, likening the proposed system to Nazi Germany's Gestapo. Venugopal claimed the bills aimed to sabotage India's federal structure. Shah rejected Premachandran's contention that the bills were brought in haste, saying they will be sent to a joint panel, where members of both Houses would get an opportunity to give their suggestions. The constitutional amendment bill requires two-thirds support in both Houses — a majority that the governing alliance currently lacks. One opposition MP twisted Shah's mic, while others continued throwing bits of paper at him, prompting treasury MPs to rush into the well. MPs from both sides stood face-to-face, exchanging threats, and even after the House was adjourned, opposition MPs continued shouting slogans. BJP MPs, including ministers Kiren Rijiju and Ravneet Bittu, moved to block opposition MPs from approaching Shah. The home minister, however, asked his colleagues to return to their seats. Congress MP Deepender Hooda also intervened, preventing opposition MPs from entering the aisle. Normalcy returned only after Shah and other ministers left the House as the opposition members jeered. When House resumed an hour later, the bills were referred to JPC, but proceedings occurred under tight security, with marshals present. Shah, instead of taking his front row seat, sat in the third row as opposition MPs again occupied the well. Govt sources said that their focus was on getting the legislations passed.
NDTV
33 minutes ago
- NDTV
"Draconian Act": Congress Slams Centre Over Constitution Amendment Bill
New Delhi: Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Wednesday criticised the 130th Constitution Amendment Bill that sought to allow the removal of the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and ministers if they were held on serious criminal charges. The Congress leader accused the ruling BJP of using its majority in Parliament to push through the bill with the intention of targeting the opposition. He called the move "draconian" and politically motivated. The 130th Constitution Amendment Bill seeks to remove the Prime Minister or Chief Ministers who are facing allegations of corruption or serious offences and have been detained for 30 consecutive days. Speaking to ANI, the Congress leader called the bill a political weapon and said, "The intention of the ruling side to pass this bill using its majority is not right. This will be used as a tool to target the opposition. This is a draconian act." He further questioned the timing of the bill, linking it to ongoing debates over the allegation on the Election Commission of 'vote theft'. "At a time when questions are rising against the Election Commission, there is panic in the ruling party, and this issue has now been raised to divert attention from it?" Adhir Ranjan told ANI. Earlier in the day, slamming the BJP government over the introduction of the 130th Constitution Amendment Bill in Lok Sabha, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said that legislation, if passed, will allow the ruling party at the Centre to register false cases against Chief Ministers of the opposition parties and it will shake the democratic foundations of the country. In a post on X, Mr Stalin said that the BJP Government has decided to "defile" the Constitution."The 130th Constitutional Amendment is not reform -- this is a Black Day and this is a Black Bill. 30-day arrest = Removal of an elected CM. No trial, no conviction -- just BJP's DIKTAT. This is how DICTATORSHIPS begin: Steal votes, Silence rivals and Crush States," wrote Mr Stalin while condemning the bill. The Tamil Nadu CM pointed out that the introduction of the said bill is the BJP's government diversion tactic to bring the bill at a time when it is facing allegations over "vote theft". "After the expose of #VoteTheft, the very mandate on which the Union BJP Government was formed is in serious question. Its legitimacy is doubtful. Having stolen the mandate of the people through fraud, the BJP is now desperate to distract public attention from this expose. To do that, they have brought in the 130th Constitutional Amendment Bill," he said. Expressing faith in the judiciary, CM Stalin said that the Constitution Amendment bill will be struck down by the courts. Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, to further amend the Constitution of India and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, apart from the bill to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. He also proposed sending the bllls to a joint committee of Parliament.
The Hindu
33 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Congress unions seek benefits for MGNREGS workers
Employees' unions owing allegiance to the Congress organised a protest in front of the Secretariat on Wednesday accusing the Left Democratic Front government of pushing the welfare of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme workers to the back burner. Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, who inaugurated the protest, demanded that the government increase the number of working days to a minimum of 200 per year and also bring the workers under the ambit of the social welfare and security net. He demanded that the government institute ESI and EPF pensions for the workers, a majority of whom are women from the lowest economic strata in society. INTUC State president R. Chandrasekharan led the march. KPCC president Sunny Joseph, MLA P.C. Vishnunath, and INTUC district president V.R. Pratapan spoke.
