Bengaluru, Sept 20 Union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Shobha Karandlaje and Leader of the Opposition in Karnataka Assembly R. Ashoka, on Saturday, appealed to the Congress-led state government to extend the 15-day time frame fixed for conducting the socio-economic and academic survey, popularly known as the caste census.
The survey is scheduled to begin across Karnataka on September 22.
The leaders spoke to the media after attending a meeting of Vokkaliga community leaders in Bengaluru, chaired by Adichunchanagiri mutt seer Nirmalanandanatha Swami.
Union Minister Karandlaje said, "The meeting has decided that the caste census cannot be completed in 15 days, especially since the state will be celebrating the Navratri festival. More time should be given for the survey. To ensure the survey is conducted properly, people should also be given time to verify that their data is accurate. This facility should be made available online."
She added, "It has also been decided that members of the Vokkaliga community should mention their religion as Hindu and caste as Vokkaliga."
Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka said, "Under no circumstances should our community be divided. The caste census cannot be completed within 15 days. During this time, the Dussehra festival will be celebrated, and in north Karnataka, several festivals will also be observed. People will be travelling during this period."
He also added, "It has been decided to appeal to the government to extend the 15-day time frame for the caste census. All sub-castes of the Vokkaliga community should declare in the census that their religion is Hindu and caste is Vokkaliga. A decision has also been taken to oppose any attempt to divide the Vokkaliga community into sub-castes. The government is also urged to remove the Vokkaliga-Christian column. If the government does not respond, we will take to the streets."
BJP MLC C.T. Ravi also alleged, "The Congress, while speaking about 'vote theft', is itself indulging in 'caste theft' in Karnataka. Initially, there were 877 castes in the state. That number was later increased to 1,511, and now 211 new castes have been added. Who gave the government the authority to increase the number of castes?
He also said, "We will not allow this 'caste theft' to take place. We do not want an unscientific caste survey; it must be conducted scientifically. Why do they want to conduct the caste census during Hindu festivals? Tomorrow is Mahalaya Amavasya, when Hindus observe fasting and perform rituals for their family deities. The government expects them to abandon these practices for the census. If the Congress-led government had scheduled the survey during the festivals of other religions, there would have been large-scale violence."
"Hindu castes are being wrongly attached to the Christian religion. A Brahmin cannot be a Christian, but the government has created a Brahmin-Christian column. Similarly, members of the Vokkaliga community cannot be classified as Vokkaliga-Christian. If injustice is done to our community, we will take to the streets."
Nirmalanandanatha Swami said that the mobile number of every person should be collected during the caste census, and the data gathered must be made available in the public domain.
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