Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, May 1: State BJP president B Y Vijayendra on Thursday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to conduct a caste census along with the national population census stems from a vision to ensure justice and equal opportunities for all communities, especially the marginalised.

Welcoming the union cabinet’s decision, Vijayendra said, “There has been no caste census since 1931. The prime minister is working with the goal of social justice and empowerment of the backward sections.”

Taking aim at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Vijayendra alleged that the Congress government in Karnataka is trying to sow division in society under the guise of implementing a flawed caste census report. “CM Siddaramaiah hasn’t taken any clear decision on the caste census himself. The earlier survey was for assessing Backward Classes, but is now being misrepresented as a caste census,” he said.

He also questioned the legitimacy of the data, stating that the Congress lacks even the original report of the caste survey. “On what basis did the Jayaprakash Hegde Commission submit a report when the Kantharaj report is missing?” he asked.

Vijayendra claimed that only the Central government has the authority to conduct a caste census and not state governments. He also cited former Union Minister Veerappa Moily’s statement that the timeline of the Karnataka survey had already lapsed.

“The Congress is now trying to claim credit, but they failed to initiate a caste census despite decades of rule after Independence,” he said.

On the Pahalgam terrorist attack, Vijayendra stated that the nation is united in grief and condemned attempts by some to politicize the tragedy. “There is strong public sentiment for firm action against terrorists,” he said.