Karnataka govt will discuss and decide on caste census report in cabinet: Mallikarjun Kharge

Kalaburagi (Karnataka): Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday said the party-led government in Karnataka will deliberate on the Socio-Economic and Education Survey report, popularly known as 'caste census' in the cabinet and take an appropriate decision.

Declining to comment on the report, the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha said he had not seen it yet.

“It is left for the state government, every state does their own. This was not done by the central government. The state government will discuss in the cabinet and decide. I have not seen the report. The matter is left to the state government,” Kharge told reporters here.

Asked about the opposition to the report, he said, “(opposition) may be there. I have shared my opinion.” Amid what looks like a caste conundrum, a special meeting of Karnataka cabinet, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, will discuss the contentious 'caste census', on Thursday.

Various communities, especially Karnataka's two dominant ones -- Vokkaligas and Veershaiva-Lingayats -- have expressed strong reservations about the survey that has been done, calling it "unscientific", and have demanded that it be rejected, and a fresh survey be conducted.

Objections have also been raised by various sections of society, and there are also strong voices against it from within the ruling Congress.