Dropping hints that the state government would make the caste census report public soon, Backward Classes Welfare Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi on Sunday asserted that the census (also known as socio-economic survey) was the best way to address existing inequalities among backward classes in the state.
The survey was undertaken by the backward classes commission when H Kantharaju was its chairman.
The minister’s announcement has gained significance in the wake of the social welfare ministry’s recommendation to the union government to include Kuruba community, the state’s third biggest caste vote bloc, into the Scheduled Tribes’ list.
Tangadagi was addressing the gathering after handing over endowment awards and felicitating achievers at a function organised by the Devanga Association here.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in his previous term as CM from 2013-18, had released funds as well as provided government support to undertake the survey, which will pave the way for helping all deprived sections of the society, he said.
“Once the Kantharaju report is accepted (shortly), the government will have exact data of the population and socio-economic conditions of each community. The government will be able to distribute resources equally among all communities,” he said.
Taking a veiled dig at previous governments, Tangadagi said though this report was ready in 2018-19, it was neither accepted nor allowed to be made public due to a systematic conspiracy by a section of influential people.
“Siddaramaiah is the only hope for the deprived sections as only he can provide justice to them. No leader can match his vision and commitment to uplift these sections,” he said, in what seemed to be a retort to recent remarks by Congress veteran B K Hariprasad.
On Saturday, a video clip went viral in which Hariprasad (at a convention of the Idiga community) had alleged that Siddaramaiah did not keep his promise of granting Rs 5 crore to complete the development works of the Koti Chennayya park at Karkala in Udupi district, implying that Kurubas were benefiting more from Siddaramaiah’s elevation as CM.
He said that the government was committed to protect the interests of the Devanga (weavers’) community.
“We have promised in our manifesto measures for the community’s welfare by introducing several programmes. We will fulfil all the promises after implementing the guarantee schemes,” he said.