Speculation over Parameshwara’s ‘friendly’ meeting with Mallikarjun Kharge

Bengaluru: Home Minister G Parameshwara’s meeting with All India Congress Committee president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday evening and another meet in Davangere has triggered political speculations .

However, Parameshwara denied any political discussions during his meeting with Mallikarjun Kharge and said, “We are family friends. I meet him often, but never discuss politics. Even on Sunday we did not discuss anything related to politics,” he said.

Responding to reports about him going to New Delhi to meet party high command, Parameshwara said, “Yes I am going to New Delhi. But, if I discuss anything related to politics then I will reveal it. There is nothing to hide in such meetings and no need to speculate.”

Meanwhile, the state ministers slammed Union Minister for Commerce and Industries Piyush Goyal for calling tax refund demands as ‘’petty thinking”.

Speaking to the media, Parameshwara stated that the Union minister should be ashamed of himself.

“We have demanded our share based on the tax share norms framed in the federal structure. Such statements by the responsible ministers show the kind of administration this country is having.”

IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge also challenged Goyal to make similar statements in BJP-ruled states.

“I challenge the minister to speak in the same language on Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Let him say that Uttar Pradesh does not deserve the tax share it is receiving as they are not spending it on development and instead using it for laser displays and light shows at Ayodhya. Does he have the guts to say that,” Priyank questioned.

Caste census report to be tabled in MM Hill Cabinet meeting

Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday indicated that the caste census report would be placed before the Cabinet meeting scheduled for Friday at the M M Hills in Chamarajanagar district.

“We need to discuss this internally and in the Cabinet. We have been asked to bring up this issue in the upcoming Cabinet meeting,” he added.

Though the report was listed in the Cabinet agenda a couple of times in the last few of months, it hasn’t yet been placed before the Cabinet.

A political hot potato, the caste census is being opposed by the dominant, land-owning Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities as they claim their communities have been “under-represented” in the report.

According to some versions, the leaked findings of the report peg the population of the Lingayats at 14 per cent, while the estimates of the Vokkaliga population are said to be 11 per cent.

These numbers are far lesser than what the respective communities project their numerical strength as.

On the other hand, the Ahinda (Kannada acronym for minorities, SC, STs and backward classes) communities are said to be favouring the report.

The Congress finds itself in a dilemma as publicising the findings of the report may alienate the dominant communities from it, while not doing so may anger the Ahinda bloc - seen as Congress’ traditional vote bank and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s loyal support base.