JOIN US'Govt blocking caste survey'
Addressing a seminar on “Caste census for social equality” organised by the Karnataka Dalit Sangharsha Samiti in Bangalore, Dwarakanath also charged Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa with misleading the people on the survey. “The Government has only been created hurdles since day one”, he remarked. Dwarakanath said that in the past, several communities including Lingayats and Vokkaligas were included in the backward classes list with political motives. The various sects in the Veerashaiva community were reaping maximum benefits due to the present reservation norms and the caste survey would bring out the ground realities, he said.
The Centre in 2005 had released Rs 21.5 crore for conducting the caste survey in the State. However, the State had failed to release its share, placing the entire project in jeopardy, he said.
The neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu governments had written to the Centre to transfer the grants, expressing their keenness to conduct the survey in their respective States, he added.
Speaking on the topic “New curriculum for schools”, former chairman of the Legislative Council B K Chandrashekar stressed the need to have district-specific text-books for students. Each district has its own unique features and textbooks need to be prepared keeping in view the local requirements. The textbooks should help in developing the personality and improving the analytical ability of students, he added.