New Delhi: A day after Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge objected to Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s opinion on the caste census issue, the latter on Tuesday clarified his stand saying he was not against it but wanted it to be done in a systematic and scientific manner, news agency PTI reported.
BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi said in Rajya Sabha that Karnataka Deputy CM Shivakumar himself had signed a petition urging the government to junk the caste census. Reacting to his statement, Kharge said “all upper castes are united on this.”
Two dominant communities of Karnataka — Vokkaliags and Lingayats — have opposed the survey, calling it unscientific. They have demanded that the survey be rejected and a fresh one be conducted.
Shivakumar, who is from the Vokkaliga community, said he has not opposed the caste survey anywhere.
“I have not opposed it anywhere. It is our party policy and our government did it (census) in Karnataka…My apprehension is that a lot of our legislators and a lot of our ministers…we spoke…we want proper census, because census has to be done in a very systematic way,” PTI quoted Shivakumar as saying.
Further explaining his stand, Shivakumar said his house was also not covered during the caste survey in 2015 during the previous Siddaramaiah-led Congress government.
“No one came and asked me. I also checked with so many legislators. It should happen systematically, because once the census happens, they (people) should get rights properly according to population. For example — Minorities — as per their population they will ask for their rights. For SCs and STs in our state, we have legislation that funds should be allocated based on their population. Like that, we are asking for a justification…there should be a proper, scientific approach on this,” PTI quoted the senior Congress leader as saying.
Underlining the party’s commitment to all sections of the society, Shivakumar further said, “”I’m a backward class man, as Vokkaligas are backward class. but being a party president I will have to look at every section of society, that’s more important.”