01-05-2025
Centre's Caste Census will have no bearing on Karnataka Survey, says CM Siddaramaiah
The Caste Census announced by the Centre will not have a bearing on the Socio-economic and Educational Survey carried out by the state government, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said Thursday.
He dismissed the criticism raised by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw regarding the sanctity of the caste enumeration carried out by the state governments.
The chief minister said the Cabinet would discuss the findings of the Survey report in its meeting scheduled for May 9. 'I have sought opinions in writing from the Cabinet ministers. Based on that, we will discuss it at the next Cabinet (meeting). We will take a decision after that,' he said at a news conference.
Responding to Vaishnaw's remarks that the caste enumeration exercises carried out by the state governments were just 'surveys' and were done in a non-transparent manner, Siddaramaiah said that it was just the opinion of the minister. 'They have done it in Bihar, where the BJP is an alliance partner (in the state government). What does he have to say for that?' he asked.
'The Constitution does not say that the states do not have the right to carry out a Socio-economic Survey. Is there any provision barring the states?' he said, adding that the Caste Census announced by the Centre does reduce the significance of the exercise carried out by the state.
'Once we take a decision (on the findings of the Socio-economic Survey), we will send the recommendations to the Central government,' he said. The Survey findings will be used as the basis for the next budget, according to the chief minister.
The state government will implement all the recommendations of the Survey report submitted by the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission, except the one regarding increasing the reservation limit. 'That should be done by the Centre,' Siddaramaiah said, noting a 50 per cent ceiling currently was in place due to a Supreme Court decision.
The Commission in its Survey report has recommended increasing reservation for Other Backward Classes from the existing 32 per cent to 51 per cent, noting that the communities comprise 70 per cent of the state population. Though the Karnataka Cabinet held a special meeting to discuss its findings a week after it was placed before it, the meeting was 'inconclusive'.
