Election Fever: Karnataka Govt Might Keep Caste Census Report as Secret

Bengaluru: Karnataka state government won’t release the data obtained from historical caste census conducted in Karnataka during 2015. Congress party led government might keep the census figures as secret following a strict signal from the party high command as state assembly elections scheduled next year, the sources said.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had ordered for caste census in 2015 and to prepare a report based on facts obtained to know the exact number of dalits and the number of members of other backward sections in the state. Based on the report prepared, Siddaramaiah had planned to implement development projects for the upliftment of backward castes in the state.

The Congress party high command has reportedly asked Siddaramaiah not to release the figures in the wake of state assembly elections scheduled and upcoming state assembly session. Steep rise in the number the members of backward sections and decline in the number of members of upper castes in Karnataka is reportedly prevented the Congress high command from releasing the caste census report on time.

Senior Congress Party leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge opined that the votes might get polarized and adversely impact the Congress party in the next state assembly elections if the data released amid the number of dalits and others is higher than the number of members of upper castes. Congress party senior leaders fear that opposition BJP may use report as a weapon against it stating the number of dalits is higher than the number of members of upper castes to attract the votes from backward sections.  With the state government’s move, the tax payer’s money once again dumped into dust bin.