Next meeting on May 2; No trust in Cabinet? R. Ashoka questions need for written views

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Cabinet meeting held last evening to deliberate on the Socio-Economic and Educational Survey — popularly referred to as the caste census — ended inconclusively, with the Government deferring the final decision to May 2.

Reports indicate that Ministers were reluctant to engage in an open discussion, prompting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to ask them to submit their opinions in writing, including dissent notes if any.

Sources revealed a lack of consensus during the meeting. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and several others reportedly expressed reservations about the survey findings, while Minister for Horticulture S.S. Mallikarjun is said to have strongly opposed the report.

Later, addressing the media, Minister Mallikarjun played down talk of internal divisions. “There was no strong opposition or support. Ministers merely pointed out certain gaps and suggested corrections. The matter remains under discussion,” he said.

Law Minister H.K. Patil stated that various aspects of the report were examined, and it was agreed that a final decision would be taken during the Cabinet meeting scheduled for May 2.

“The discussion was incomplete but cordial. Ministers felt more clarity was needed on aspects like population data and indicators of backwardness before a decision could be made,” Patil said.

Earlier in the day, Lingayat Ministers in the State Government held a separate meeting at the residence of Industries Minister M.B. Patil. The 33-member Cabinet includes seven Lingayat Ministers and six Vokkaliga Ministers.

The Lingayat Ministers are: Eshwar Khandre, Sharanabasappa Darshanapur, Shivanand Patil, S.S. Mallikarjun, M.B. Patil, Laxmi Hebbalkar and Sharanprakash Patil and H.K. Patil.  The Vokkaliga Ministers include: Krishna Byre Gowda, N. Cheluvarayaswamy, K. Venkatesh and Dr. M.C. Sudhakar, and also R. Ramalinga Reddy.

‘Conspiracy to blackmail Ministers’

Meanwhile, the Opposition BJP on Thursday questioned whether there was a “conspiracy to blackmail Ministers” behind the Cabinet’s move to seek written opinions on the caste census report. In a social media post, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka asked if this demand reflected “a lack of trust within the Cabinet.”

Ashoka alleged that CM Siddaramaiah had brought the caste census issue back into focus to divert attention from growing public dissatisfaction over inflation, deteriorating law and order and stalled development.

“The mega drama titled ‘Caste Census’, directed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and started 10 years ago, is still dragging on like a never-ending serial,” he remarked. “Why has the State Cabinet failed to decide on the report? And if no decision was made, what purpose did this special Cabinet meeting even serve?”

Ashoka also questioned whether the Cabinet had considered reconducting the caste census in a scientific manner. The BJP has dismissed the current report as “unscientific” and demanded a resurvey using modern IT tools to ensure credibility.