BJP slams Congress over caste survey report, calls it political ploy to divert attention from stampede tragedy

The Hindu

12-06-2025

The BJP on Wednesday described the Congress' decision to junk the Socio-economic and Educational Survey report – popularly known as the caste survey – as an effort to shift public attention from the stampede tragedy in which 11 people died during the victory celebrations of Indian Premier League champions Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Addressing media persons here on Wednesday, Mysuru MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar said that the survey conducted by the State Government was a wasteful, unscientific, and politically motivated exercise.
'The BJP had always opposed it on the grounds that it was unscientific, and the Congress, with its decision to junk the original report, has conceded that the report is flawed,' said Mr. Wadiyar.
He also said that the Centre's planned caste-based census in 2026 would render any parallel State-level effort redundant, and urged the State Government to drop the move as it amounted to wastage of tax payers' money.
'The State Government has proved its incompetence in conducting such an exercise and since the Centre is already taking it up, there was no need for duplication of efforts,' said Mr. Wadiyar.
That the decision to re-do the caste survey was taken by the Congress high command in Delhi, raises questions whether Karnataka is ruled by an elected government or office bearers of the All India Congress Committee, he added.
'It is not the Karnataka Cabinet or the people of the State who are taking these decisions – it is being dictated by unelected leaders in Delhi. Is it Rahul Gandhi and K.C. Venugopal who are running Karnataka?' he asked.
Pointing out that more than ₹165 crore was spent over 10 years ago in preparing the report, Mr. Wadiyar said that people need to know how the Congress intends to compensate for it.
Raghu Kautilya, BJP OBC Morcha State president echoed similar sentiments, and said that with the Congress in trouble in Karnataka over the stampede tragedy, the party leaders have chosen to discard the report to divert public attention and retain their posts.
The Congress' move is a clear indicator that the party was prepared to jettison the interest of the backward classes to remain in power, said Mr. Raghu.
He also challenged Congress leaders' claim that a new caste survey could be completed in 90 days. 'Is this serious governance or just another headline-grabbing move?' he asked.
The BJP leaders said nearly ₹165 crore spent on the Kantharaj survey should be compensated to the tax payers and urged the State Government to focus on practical development issues rather than engaging in politically motivated census exercises.