Eshwarappa questions CM on the caste census report

Former Deputy Chief Minister K.S. Eshwarappa has expressed doubts over Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s intentions with his recent statement on taking up the socio-economic survey report (caste census) for Cabinet’s assent. He wanted to know if the Chief Minister was raising the issue only to distract the public attention from the MUDA scam.

In a press conference in Shivamogga on Monday, Mr. Eshwarappa said he would welcome the Chief Minister’s statement on Cabinet taking up the caste census report submitted by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes. Former chairperson of the commission, K. Jayaprakash Hegde, submitted the report in February 2024. “The Chief Minister did not take it up in the last seven months. All of a sudden he has spoken about it. The timing of raising the issue forces me to suspect if it is his diversion tactics,” he stated.

The former Deputy Chief Minister maintained that many members of Siddaramaiah’s Cabinet were not in favour of releasing the report. “We all know that a few members in the Cabinet opposed the report. Is Siddaramaiah bringing it to the fore to project himself a champion of backward classes?” he asked.

Further, Mr. Eshwarappa said the State government spent ₹160 crore to prepare the report. It should not go to waste. “Let the report be in the public domain. People of the state will discuss the outcomes of the report,” he added.

He also alleged that the Congress government cancelled 1,093 works meant for the welfare of backward classes, sanctioned by the previous BJP government. Besides that, under the Congress rule, funds allocated to the Ambedkar Corporation and ST Corporation were misused. “Such developments have shown that the Congress government is anti-backward classes,” he added.

Published - September 30, 2024 07:19 pm IST