Bengaluru: Union Minister V Somanna has launched a scathing attack on the Congress government’s ongoing caste census in Karnataka, calling it “an unscientific and divisive exercise” designed to split society and gain political mileage ahead of future elections. His remarks come amid growing criticism that the Siddaramaiah-led government’s renewed caste survey is aimed more at consolidating vote banks than achieving genuine social justice.
Speaking to reporters near his Vijayanagar residence, Somanna expressed anger over the survey, which he described as chaotic and technically flawed. “Siddaramaiah has created a useless task. The surveyors took one hour and four minutes just to collect my details. This is an unscientific survey riddled with errors,” he said. “It will end up being another Kantaraj Committee disaster. Due to unnecessary confusion and poor data collection, the government will not get correct or usable information,” he added.
Somanna accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar of promoting divisive politics under the guise of data collection. “This government has no other agenda except caste. Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are using the census to divide communities and decide who should be favoured or sidelined,” he alleged. “Please stop this now. This is not an exercise for equality, but for creating enmity among castes.”
Referring to the historical Kantaraj Committee, whose caste data had stirred major political turmoil years ago, Somanna warned that the new survey would only deepen old wounds. “This will be worse than the Kantaraj Committee. Congress is repeating the same blunder. If they continue in this direction, the process will drag on for a year and achieve nothing except social division,” he remarked.
“An unscientific and disgusting work”
The Union Minister did not hold back in his criticism, calling the caste survey a “disgusting and unscientific” act. “Please stop the caste survey here. No one should come and stand in the madhouse. Will you conduct a survey by putting up photos of Devaraj Urs? Don’t do anything that tramples upon the upper castes or any community. This entire exercise is disgusting,” Somanna said sharply.
He further alleged that the Congress government was deliberately stirring caste sentiments for electoral benefit. “You have in your head which community should be treated unfairly. Congress is busy dividing people instead of addressing real issues like inflation, unemployment, and governance,” he said, accusing the government of weaponizing caste identity for political arithmetic. The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) began the social and educational survey across the city on Saturday (October 4). On the very first day, enumerators reportedly covered 22,141 households. However, the process has drawn complaints from several quarters over inconsistent questions, lack of technical preparation, and intrusive data collection methods.
Citizens and community organisations have also raised concerns that the survey could fuel tensions between dominant and marginalized castes. “People are being asked irrelevant and personal questions. There is no clarity on how this data will be used. It is breeding suspicion and anxiety,” said a resident of Vijayanagar.
BJP leaders have joined Somanna in condemning the survey, accusing the Congress of using caste to consolidate its vote bank. “Whenever the Congress is cornered politically, it raises emotional issues like caste and religion. This is not social justice it’s social manipulation,” BJP spokesperson K Karunakar told.
Political analysts point out that the Siddaramaiah government is attempting to use the caste data to justify future welfare and reservation policies, but critics fear it could backfire by stoking resentment among various groups. “The Congress may be hoping to repeat the Devaraj Urs-era strategy of mobilizing backward classes, but in today’s polarized atmosphere, such moves could explode socially,” a senior analyst observed.
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