Karnataka Guv warns CM Siddaramaiah against including Christian identifiers in caste survey

Bengaluru, Sep 20 (PTI) Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has cautioned Chief Minister Siddaramaiah against including Christian identifiers with caste names like ‘Kumbara Christian’, ‘Kuruba Christian’ in the upcoming caste survey, saying it could cause "social disturbance, long term complications and irreparable damage" to the social fabric of the state.

In his letter to Siddaramaiah on September 16, Gehlot urged the CM to re-examine the issue.

The Governor said a contingent of BJP MPs and legislators met him and brought to his attention their concerns and objections to the Karnataka government's proposed caste-based educational and social survey.

“The written objections of the contingent elaborating certain contradictory issues and inclusion of Christian identifiers like ‘Kumbara Christian’, ‘Kuruba Christian’ and glaring and concerning issues of illegal infiltrators in the residency of the State have been brought to my notice,” he said.

The BJP delegation requested him to advise the government against proceeding with this “flawed and divisive exercise”.

“It is noticed that the use of such Christian identifiers and nomenclatures are not seen in any of the caste lists of the state and as per my knowledge, there is no such case identities in the Christian religion, so the above move of the State Government giving caste identity in the Christian religion may cause social disturbance, long term complications and irreparable damage to the social fabric of the State,” the Governor said.

He urged the CM to revisit the issue, stressing the need to safeguard the state's social structure while considering the long-term implications of such measures.

The Karnataka government will conduct the caste census from September 22 to October 7, at an estimated cost of Rs 420 crore.

The BJP had called it a "divisive move" and appealed to people to write Hindu instead of their sects in the religion column. PTI GMS GMS ROH