Register suo motu case against state cabinet, MP B Y Raghavendra urges Supreme Court

Addressing media persons, on Saturday, he charged that the state government is wasting Rs 500 crore in the name of the survey. According to the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, only the Centre has the power to conduct a caste census.

Shivamogga: MP B Y Raghavendra urged the Supreme Court to register a suo motu case against the members of the state cabinet for deciding to conduct socio-economic and educational survey which is against the spirit of the constitution.

Addressing media persons, here on Saturday, he charged that the state government is wasting Rs 500 crore in the name of the survey. According to the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, only the Centre has the power to conduct a caste census. But the state government is conducting it in the name of the survey to woo people of minorities, backward classes. He criticised that the state government has already wasted Rs 140 crore in the name of Kantaraj Commission which conducted the survey earlier.

He said, people of the state are not interested in the survey. Some ministers have openly objected to it. The High Court division bench has clarified that it is not mandatory for people to participate in the survey and answer all the questions. What is the use of conducting a survey when the reality is like this?, he questioned and said this survey, which has been started in a hurry without proper preparation, is completely unscientific.

Taking a dig at district in-charge Minister Madhu Bangarappa's statement that 'Yediyurappa started caste politics in the state, the MP said,"Madara Channaiah Swamiji has recently stated that if Yediyurappa had not become the chief minister, our mutts would still be in huts. It was Yediyurappa who established and provided grants to Madiwala Machideva, Uppara, Arya Vaishya, Vishwakarma, Ambigara Chaudharya, Ediga, Savita Social Development Corporations."

Besides, it was Yediyurappa, who declared public holiday for Kanaka Jayanti and provided funds for the development of birthplaces of Sangolli Rayanna and Kanakadasa. He expressed his anger by saying, "Madhu Bangarappa does not have the right to talk about Yediyurappa."

MLCs DS Arun, Dhananjaya Sarji, District BJP Unit President NK Jagadish, former MLA KG Kumaraswamy, former president of Madiwala Machideva Corporation Raju Tallur, leaders Mangote Rudresh, Virupakshappa, Chandrashekhar were present at the press conference.