BJP Leader Basavaraj Bommai Slams Karnataka’s Caste Census as Illegal and Divisive
In a sharp critique, former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai called out the state government’s caste census plans on Tuesday. He argued that the Backward Classes Commission, tasked with a door-to-door Socio-Economic and Academic Survey in Karnataka, lacks the authority to count all communities. This comes amid growing debates on caste census in India, with the Centre already set to conduct a nationwide one.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru after a meeting of BJP leaders, Bommai didn’t hold back. "The Karnataka government’s caste census is just fooling people," he said. "They want to survey 1.5 crore households in just 15 days, asking 60 questions per home. That’s impossible—who has that kind of time?"
Bommai pointed out that the Backward Classes Commission can only enumerate backward classes, not every caste in the state. "The state is misusing powers and misleading folks," he added. He urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, from a socialist background, to fix these errors. Bommai also highlighted the Census Act, which bars states from running their own door-to-door surveys. "They’re breaking the law by going house-to-house instead of using samples," he stressed.
He questioned the timing and intent behind adding new castes to stir confusion for political gains. Why did Siddaramaiah form the Kantaraj Committee, release its report, and then reject it? "What flaws did they find, and have they fixed them in this new Karnataka caste census? Is it even legal?" Bommai asked.
The survey’s religion section drew fire too. It includes categories like ‘Others’ and ‘Atheists’—but atheists don’t follow any religion, so why lump them in? On conversions, Bommai criticized listing Brahmin, Lingayat, Vokkaliga, SC, and ST Christians separately. "Converted people call themselves Christians, and some have even returned to Hinduism through reverse conversions. What’s their crime?" he wondered. He demanded to know which law or Constitution provision allows these columns. "They quote the Constitution often, but act against it," Bommai said.
Bommai vowed BJP’s opposition, noting that religious leaders have already flagged these issues. He warned against efforts to split the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community since 2014. "People saw through it in the 2018 elections when Siddaramaiah lost. Now he’s trying again to divide and rule," he said. Instead of uniting Karnataka’s communities for better governance, this will backfire, he predicted. In a jibe, he mocked the idea of a ‘Kuruba Christian’ category, saying it could lead to absurdities like a new mutt with Siddaramaiah as pontiff. "Where is society headed?"
Union Minister V. Somanna, handling Jal Shakti and Railways, joined the press meet. He announced nationwide celebrations for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday on September 17. "I wish birthday greetings to this visionary leader driving India’s development," Somanna said. He echoed concerns about Siddaramaiah’s "conspiracies" against the Veerashaiva community, despite the CM’s knowledge of its history. The leaders’ meeting in Bengaluru discussed these caste census controversies in detail.
As Karnataka’s caste census row heats up, Bommai’s words highlight tensions over legality, community unity, and political motives in the state’s survey push.
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