K’taka caste census row: Will submit report before Nov 24, says Backward Classes Commission Chairman

Bengaluru, Nov 4 (IANS) Karnataka Backward Classes Commission Chairman Jayaprakash Hegde stated on Saturday that the controversial caste census report would be submitted to the government before November 24.

However, he underlined that he won’t make any comment on statements issued in favour or in opposition of the census.

Speaking to the media, Hegde made the statement despite the stiff opposition to the acceptance of the census report by the government.

Replying to the decision taken by the Vokkaliga community led by seer Nirmalananda Natha Swamiji to reject the caste census report, he said, he did not have an idea on seer’s reaction. “Even I don’t know on what basis former BJP minister K.S. Eshwarappa made remarks,” he said.

The seer had urged the government to conduct resurvey and dubbed the census report as flawed and unscientific. Eshwarappa had stated that the census report deserves to be thrown into the fire.

“Teachers deputed to the task have gone to the field and collected the data. The government will have to take a call on the review of the census report. I don't know on which ground it is stated that the census report is flawed. I will submit the report before November 24,” Hegde reiterated.

On Friday, Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji, had reiterated "the caste census report should not be accepted. The seer said that the government must rethink about accepting the report. The present caste census is defective and the population census must be redone. The report is half-baked and unscientific. It is not complete and the communities will face injustice."

Former minister K.S. Eshwarappa, slamming the Congress government over the caste census issue, maintained that the report deserves to be thrown into the fire.

"The Congress government should make a statement on whether they are releasing the caste census report. Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji had stated terming the report unscientific. There is no signature of the member secretary in the report and it won’t stand in the court even for a day,” he said.

"(Congress leaders) do not have any intention of helping the people. With this report, they want to get votes. This was done by the BJP government and then Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa released funds. By committing fraud, Siddaramaiah wants to become the leader of the backwards," Eshwarappa charged.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had stated that the Backward Classes Commission has been asked to submit the caste census report to the state government. “Once the report is submitted, it will be verified,” he said.