Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has asked political leaders not to oppose the caste census based merely on hearsay. “It seems to me that those who are opposing the caste census don’t know what the report contains. No one should oppose based on hearsay and wrong assumptions. We should all welcome it and try to understand it once it is released. We should not begin discussions even before the release of the report. Let it be released, and then let us see,” he said in Bagalkot on November 23 while responding to questions by journalists about the opposition to the report by some dominant caste groups and political leaders.
About JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy’s allegation that a caste census would divide the society, the CM said that such claims were baseless. “Bihar CM Nitish Kumar has released the State caste census report. What were the implications? Did the society in Bihar get divided? No. We should have enough data before we make any statement in public,” he said.
CM would speak to the State Backward Classes Commission Chairman Jayaprakash Hegde about his complaint that the original report of the Kantharaj Commission is missing.
Mr. Siddaramaiah said that the appointment of B.Y. Vijayendra as the State BJP president and R. Ashok as Leader of Opposition had upset many senior leaders in the BJP.
“Former ministers V. Somanna and Aravind Limbavali have expressed dissatisfaction about these choices. It seems that there is a raging fire in the BJP. We don’t know what will happen next,” was his response to a query.
Mr. Somanna has said that he would decide his political future after December 6 whike Mr. Limbavali has said that leaders who were astute in adjustment politics were being appointed to vantage positions.
Mr. Siddaramaiah said that while the Congress is willing to welcome leaders who are willing to accept the party’s ideology, it would not invite anyone. “I have never done that in my political life,” he said.
