Fresh caste census aimed at diverting attention from stadium stampede deaths: BJP

Time of India

a day ago

Bengaluru: BJP, the principal opposition party, has criticised the Congress high command's directive to chief minister Siddaramaiah to commission a re-enumeration of the socio-economic and education survey (or the caste census), calling it "a desperate bid to divert public attention from the stampede during Royal Challengers Bangalore's IPL victory celebrations which claimed the lives of 11 people.
The diktat comes two days ahead of Thursday's special cabinet meeting which Siddaramaiah had called for "final deliberations" on the contentious report. Interestingly, the decision was taken at a meeting in New Delhi where the CM and his deputy, DK Shivakumar, explained the cause of the stampede and action taken by the govt in the aftermath.
Tuesday's diktat has obviously triggered a fresh slugfest, with the opposition seeing the move as a lame excuse to escape political accountability for the stampede.
But governing Congress has countered BJP by accusing it of being "anti-social justice".
BY Vijayendra, BJP state president, ridiculed the directive. "BJP has all along said the caste census was unscientific and we demanded a fresh survey, but the govt paid no heed to our demand," he said. "Now, Congress has suddenly decided on a fresh survey. Make no mistake, it is a cheap tactic to divert public attention from the stampede and save the govt from political accountability."
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He said Siddaramaiah, during his previous stint as CM, had commissioned the survey and the govt spent Rs 160 crore on it. Now, much of taxpayers' money "has gone down the drain with the governing party itself realising flaws".
But Congress functionaries rubbished BJP's accusations, insisting that the govt will explore the possibility of using data from the existing report and updating it with the latest figures.
"It is our leader Rahul Gandhi's vision to ensure social justice by conducting a caste census," said Eshwar Khandre, minister for forest, ecology, and environment.
"There were some concerns from some communities about the projected population figures with the data being 10 years old. It is an opportunity for us to update it. The modalities will be discussed at a cabinet meeting, and the CM will decide on scheduling the survey.
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A fresh survey, though, will throw up new challenges since more communities, including Brahmins, Kodavas, and several OBC castes, have joined the chorus of dissent.
The report is said to have even recommended a higher quantum of reservation for Muslims — from 4% to 8%.
"The decision to conduct the survey afresh was taken with the interests of underprivileged classes in mind, and not to divert attention from the stampede," said higher education minister MC Sudhakar, who is also the govt's spokesperson. "BJP is making false allegations."
Siddaramaiah had previously made several attempts to get his cabinet to discuss the report. He had asked his ministers to give their opinion at a special cabinet meeting on April 17. But that meeting was inconclusive with ministers seeking more time. Authorities say almost all ministers have now sent their inputs and that there is no dissent over conducting a new survey.