BJP urges Backward Classes Commission not to conduct caste survey 'hastily'

Bengaluru, Sep 2 (PTI) A delegation of BJP leaders on Tuesday urged the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes not to conduct the Social and Educational survey, popularly known as caste census, "hastily", and urged that it be held during summer, instead of Dasara.

The delegation also expressed its strong displeasure to a list of 1,400 castes that has been published by the commission.

"The delegation has urged the commission chairman that it is not right to say that the survey will be completed in 15 days and that too during Dasara, under some pressure. It is not easy to survey 1.75 to 2 crore houses during this period. This should be reexamined and the survey should be conducted during summer," BJP state general secretary and MLA V Sunil Kumar said.

Speaking to reporters after meeting with the Commission's Chairman Madhusudan R Naik, he said a list of 1,400 castes has been published and objections have been called. In the list, new castes have been created that are not in any caste list of the government or any commission.

"Kuruba-Christian, Madiwala-Christian, Vokkaliga-Christian -- in this way, about 107 new castes have been created. They have been given code numbers. This is unacceptable," he said.

Warning that this creation of new castes may lead to a mass movement across the state, the BJP leader said, "When it comes to Christians, we have heard about 2-3 sub-castes, and few sub-castes when it comes to Muslims." He accused the government of trying to encourage "religious conversion" by adding the words Christian or Muslim in front of all Hindu sub-castes.

"People have doubts that this is a conspiracy to support religious conversion and also a conspiracy to give them reservation in the days ahead," he said, demanding that the newly created castes be removed from the list.

Noting that it was requested to the commission that the acknowledgement letter for the survey be given compulsorily, Kumar said a request has been made to ensure that 1,400 castes be listed as per the categories in the backward classes list.

"The chairman listened to everything we said calmly, but seemed to be stubborn about doing the survey in 15 day," he said.

It should be ensured that the survey is not done in a hurry and the report is not to be rejected, as this survey will play a role in preparing government programmes and schemes future, he added.

The Karnataka government has decided to conduct a new 'Social and Educational survey', in the state, for 15 days between September 22 and October 7.

It has been decided to give the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes time till the end of October to submit the survey report. PTI KSU KH