Political Slugfest Continues in K'taka Over Caste Survey Report

Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said he would speak on the caste census report only after a discussion on it in the special cabinet meeting convened on April 17.

- Agencies

BENGALURU: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said he would speak on the caste census report only after a discussion on it in the special cabinet meeting convened on April 17.

However, Union minister HD Kumaraswamy accused Siddaramaiah of using the caste census as a political gimmick to divert public attention from the Congress government's failures.

Speaking to mediapersons near Freedom Park, Kumaraswamy said, "there is no meaning to the caste census report that is now being brandished. The Kantharaj Commission's report was prepared a decade ago. Why wasn't it implemented all this while? Now, with the public outrage over failed guarantees, rampant corruption, and price hikes reaching a boiling point, the government is trying to mislead people with the drama of the caste census."

"If you truly want a caste census, then conduct a fresh survey and submit a new report. The last 10 years have brought significant demographic changes," Kumaraswamy stated. He accused the Congress of exploiting caste for political gain, warning that this divisive agenda could create social unrest.