Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah on Sunday said that if the Congress is voted to power, the Kantharaj Commission report on socioeconomic survey or the caste census will be accepted.
He was speaking near here at a convention of Bhovi community. “There is no official data on backward classes and there is a need to understand the current situation of the communities. Though the committee report is ready, the government has not accepted it,” said former Chief Minister, who in the past has been criticised for not accepting the commission’s report during his tenure though it was ready.
He said: “The last time the caste census was conducted in 1931 and the government spent ₹ 162 crore on the caste census. The Supreme Court has been repeatedly saying that there is no official data. In the light of this, the census was conducted. Should this report be accepted or not?”
He also said that there is a need to have a discussion on the Constitution to understand what aspirations in the Constitution have been fulfilled so far. “Community convention is necessary to discuss the aspirations of the Constitution and discuss whether the social justice has been fulfilled.”
Mr. Siddaramaiah said: “Education, resources and power should be shared equally and that is when change is possible. People should think why they are backward.” He also pointed out at various welfare measures taken up by his government for the welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
The former Chief Minister also criticised the textbook revision committee under Rohit Chakrathirtha for dropping several important historical facts, and insulting icons like B.R. Ambedkar and Jnanpith awardee Kuvempu.
