Chorus for release of caste census report in Council

Criticising the formation of a three-member high-level committee to look into the reservation demands made by various communities, BJP MLC A H Vishwanath on Thursday urged the government to accept the caste census report and implement its recommendations.

While discussing a calling attention motion in the Council, members cutting across party lines said releasing the census report - compiled during the previous Siddaramaiah-led Congress government - and putting it out for public discussion would help curb the growing reservation demands of various communities.

Vishwanath criticised the new committee as futile. "I do not agree with the decision to form the committee. Nothing will come of it," he said. He also sought explanation for the delay in releasing the report, even though former backward classes commission chairperson H Kantharaju submitted it to the government in 2016.

Another BJP member K P Nanjundi took a dig at the government for consistently delaying the release of the report.

"Last time I asked about the report, the government replied that it will be released as soon as a new chairman to the commission is appointed," he said. He added that 99% of the people of the state want the report to be released and that it would help micro communities such as Vishwakarmas that he belongs to.

Blaming parties for the reservation demands of communities such as Panchamasalis and Kurubas, JD(S) member Marithibbe Gowda hit out at seers of some prominent mutts for attacking the government. His comment asking the seers to shed their saffron robes before hitting the streets evoked strong reactions from members of both the Congress and the BJP.

Responding on behalf of the government, Muzrai Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary said that the report was ready. "Jayaprakash Hegde recently took charge as chairman of the commission. We will hold a discussion with Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and release the report soon," he said.

New panel misleading: Siddaramaiah

Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah said the Cabinet decision to constitute a high-level committee to look into the reservation demands was "nothing but an attempt to buy time and mislead people for political gains."

He dared Chief Minister Yediyurappa to release the social & economic census (caste census) report if he was honest about resolving the reservation demands. "The ongoing reservation issue is the result of the cruel political game of BJP and RSS. People of Karnataka will teach BJP a lesson," he said.