Don’t heed rumours about Caste Census, Karnataka minister tells those opposing report

Bengaluru: Dubbing all media reports about the Socio-Economic and Education Survey Report – the Caste Census – ‘false’, Karnataka Minister for Backward Class Development Shivaraj Tangadagi on Friday said that the government had no reservations about releasing the report.

Conceding that there were those opposed to the report being made public, Tangadagi said, “As of now, the report is safely lodged in the Treasury, and nobody has read it. When Chief Minister Siddaramaiah directs us, we will table the report before the cabinet.”

The people opposing the report must not heed rumours about the survey’s findings, urged the minister. “The report’s findings are not known to anyone,” he added.

Training his guns on former minister and BJP leader Gali Janardhan Reddy, Tangadagi said that the former’s stories were built on lies. “His friend-turned-foe B Sreeramulu seems to the latest target of Reddy’s lies,” said Tangadagi, adding that, should the Congress high command decide to induct Sreeramulu into the party, he would welcome the decision.

“But such decisions are not taken at my level, but at the very top,” said the minister, who also questioned Reddy’s claims about Sreeramulu being in touch with Congress leaders.