Siddaramaiah demands BJP to hold caste census to identify the poor

Opposition leader Siddaramaiah demanded the ruling BJP in Karnataka, as well as at the Centre, to conduct a caste census to identify the real poor and needy people.

Speaking to media persons here on Wednesday, Siddaramaiah said now that the BJP is in power for a total of 16 years, it should conduct a caste census as the party has been against caste-based reservations, ideologically. “The government should identify the real needy persons to formulate policies and to make sure its schemes and projects reach them properly,” he said.

Siddaramaiah alleged that the BJP is not in favour of social justice. “The BJP is not in favour of reservation. Thus, the party has provided reservation to forward castes. The poor have got only 10 per cent reservation. So, the BJP leaders do not speak about reservations now. A caste sensus will make the facts about poverty and backwardness clear,” he said.