Ahead of Karnataka caste survey, BJP urges all communities to enter religion as ‘Hindu’

Karnataka BJP chief Vijayendra said caste can be specified separately but the religion column must read ‘Hindu,’ calling it the party’s firm stand.

Bengaluru: Ahead of the state-wide Socio-Education Survey slated to start on Monday, the BJP on Friday urged all communities to declare their religion as ‘Hindu’ regardless of their caste and sub-caste. A resolution to this effect was adopted at the conclusion of the two-day ‘Chintan Shibra (brainstorming camp)’.

“In the religion column, ensure that your entry is ‘Hindu’. However, people are free to enter the names of their respective communities in the caste and sub-caste columns,” said Karnataka BJP president B Y Vijayendra.

The Karnataka BJP chief admitted that his father and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, and other leaders, had once signed a petition seeking the status of a separate religion for the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community. “I am not denying this fact,” said Vijayendra.

He pointed out that both the UPA government in 2013 and the NDA government in 2018-19 had pointed to the lack of a Constitutional provision to create or recognise a new religion. “Irrespective of what opinions any senior leader may have, the BJP’s stand is that the entry in the religion column must read ‘Hindu’,” said Vijayendra.

The survey was being used by the Congress government to distract the public from its failures, said Vijayendra. Accusing the Congress of using the Caste Census as a diversionary ploy for the last two-and-a-half years, he added, “The BJP had rejected the Kantharaj Commission report citing technical flaws. The Congress discarded it only after Rahul Gandhi asked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to do so.”

Accusing Siddaramaiah of stirring up confusion in the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community, Vijayendra reminded the former that the ploy had backfired during his previous term. “The current census includes 47 new Christian castes, which is aimed at promoting religious conversion,” said the Karnataka BJP chief.

Rasta Roko demonstration

Meanwhile, to protest poor infrastructure in the state, the BJP will hold a ‘Rasta Roko’ demonstration on September 24. This will involve blocking roads in all Assembly constituencies for one hour, he said.

The BJP will also protest the state government’s failure to compensate farmers for the crops they have lost to heavy rain. “Leaders will soon tour the state and interact with farmers,” said Vijayendra.