<p>Bengaluru: A day after the Cabinet saw divisions on the Social and Educational Survey (caste census), Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday ruled out any postponement, adding that the exercise would start as scheduled from September 22.</p>.<p>Siddaramaiah told reporters: "BJP is politicising this issue and alleging that Congress is anti-Hindu. We have directed all ministers to condemn this."</p>.<p>Speaking elsewhere, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar also slammed the BJP for spreading "false information" on the issue.</p>.<p>During the day, the Backward Classes Commission headed by Madhusudan R Naik held detailed discussions about various issues, including the controversy over certain Christian groups having suffixes or prefixes of Hindu caste groups (Ediga Christian, Kuruba Christian, Lingayat Christian and so on). </p>.<p>Speaking to DH, Naik said: "The list of castes in the handbook is not for public information, it is to help our enumerators get the list of castes in the drop down as per the alphabetical order. It is not a list of castes, and doesn’t have any legal sanctity."</p>.<p>"No caste will be removed from the enumerator's list, but the caste names being disputed (Christian groups with suffixes/prefixes of Hindu castes) will be masked in the app. We won't prompt anyone to enumerate that way. However, a citizen is free to enumerate the way he/she wants, and we will have to note it down that way."</p>.<p>Essentially, the app will not show these options, but the person's choice is final. After questions on religion, caste and sub-caste, there is a question: 'Is there any other name your caste is known by?'. Here, a person will be free to enumerate it as he deems fit, and the enumerator will have to note it down. </p>.<p>Both Siddaramaiah and Naik clarified that the Backward Classes Commission was a statutory body, and that the government could only suggest and not direct it on any of its actions.</p>.<p>Earlier in the day, Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala met Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar. They discussed the caste census, and Surjewala is said to have asked the government to make sure there is no confusion in the way the survey is carried out.</p>.<p><strong>Thursday’s meeting with ministers</strong></p>.<p>On Thursday, Shivakumar, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil, Labour Minister Santosh Lad, Backward Classes Welfare Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi and others met members of the Backward Classes Commission and raised several questions.</p>.<p>However, the commission had clarified that all the caste names being disputed in public had been added during the tenure of the H Kantharaj Commission, and not now.</p>.<p>Cut-off box - BJP: Declare Hindu as religion Taking a strong stand on religious identity the BJP's two-day ‘Chintan Shibira’ (brainstorming camp) concluded on Friday with a resolution urging all communities in the state to declare their religion as ‘Hindu’ in the upcoming Social and Educational Survey. Details on Page 5</p>.<p>Cut-off box - Muslims told to identify as caste Top Muslim leaders have decided that their community members must identify themselves as a ‘Muslim’ caste under the religion of ‘Islam’ during the Social & Educational Survey starting September 22. This was decided at a meeting chaired by Minority Welfare Minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan held late Thursday night. Details on Page 5</p>
<p>Bengaluru: A day after the Cabinet saw divisions on the Social and Educational Survey (caste census), Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday ruled out any postponement, adding that the exercise would start as scheduled from September 22.</p>.<p>Siddaramaiah told reporters: "BJP is politicising this issue and alleging that Congress is anti-Hindu. We have directed all ministers to condemn this."</p>.<p>Speaking elsewhere, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar also slammed the BJP for spreading "false information" on the issue.</p>.<p>During the day, the Backward Classes Commission headed by Madhusudan R Naik held detailed discussions about various issues, including the controversy over certain Christian groups having suffixes or prefixes of Hindu caste groups (Ediga Christian, Kuruba Christian, Lingayat Christian and so on). </p>.<p>Speaking to DH, Naik said: "The list of castes in the handbook is not for public information, it is to help our enumerators get the list of castes in the drop down as per the alphabetical order. It is not a list of castes, and doesn’t have any legal sanctity."</p>.<p>"No caste will be removed from the enumerator's list, but the caste names being disputed (Christian groups with suffixes/prefixes of Hindu castes) will be masked in the app. We won't prompt anyone to enumerate that way. However, a citizen is free to enumerate the way he/she wants, and we will have to note it down that way."</p>.<p>Essentially, the app will not show these options, but the person's choice is final. After questions on religion, caste and sub-caste, there is a question: 'Is there any other name your caste is known by?'. Here, a person will be free to enumerate it as he deems fit, and the enumerator will have to note it down. </p>.<p>Both Siddaramaiah and Naik clarified that the Backward Classes Commission was a statutory body, and that the government could only suggest and not direct it on any of its actions.</p>.<p>Earlier in the day, Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala met Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar. They discussed the caste census, and Surjewala is said to have asked the government to make sure there is no confusion in the way the survey is carried out.</p>.<p><strong>Thursday’s meeting with ministers</strong></p>.<p>On Thursday, Shivakumar, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil, Labour Minister Santosh Lad, Backward Classes Welfare Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi and others met members of the Backward Classes Commission and raised several questions.</p>.<p>However, the commission had clarified that all the caste names being disputed in public had been added during the tenure of the H Kantharaj Commission, and not now.</p>.<p>Cut-off box - BJP: Declare Hindu as religion Taking a strong stand on religious identity the BJP's two-day ‘Chintan Shibira’ (brainstorming camp) concluded on Friday with a resolution urging all communities in the state to declare their religion as ‘Hindu’ in the upcoming Social and Educational Survey. Details on Page 5</p>.<p>Cut-off box - Muslims told to identify as caste Top Muslim leaders have decided that their community members must identify themselves as a ‘Muslim’ caste under the religion of ‘Islam’ during the Social & Educational Survey starting September 22. This was decided at a meeting chaired by Minority Welfare Minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan held late Thursday night. Details on Page 5</p>
