Our government will accept caste-wise survey report: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah has said that his government will accept the caste-based survey. He also lashed out at the previous BJP government for creating confusion in the reservation of backward classes.

Bengaluru (Karnataka): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said that the Centre will be forced to include the increased reservation for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) in education and employment in the 9th Schedule of the Constitution. The Chief Minister was speaking during a programme held here on Tuesday evening, where he was felicitated by the union delegation of the patriarchs of the backward class and Dalit communities.

"The previous BJP government in the state hastily increased the reservation in an election gimmick. Though the Act on increasing the reservation was passed, it sent a proposal to the Centre to include it in the 9th Schedule of the Constitution, just two days before the announcement of the election," said the Chief Minister.

''The previous government created confusion in the reservation of backward classes under the pretext of providing reservations within Scheduled Castes. Our government will correct all confusion in the reservation. People once again have given Congress a chance in Karnataka. People want change. They had lost faith in the previous government," he said. Siddaramaiah also made it clear that Congress has always been a "secular party" and there was no compromise on the stand of social justice whether it was in power or not.

"There is a need to eliminate inequality and create equality by providing facilities to those who have been underprivileged for centuries. In this regard earlier our government through the Permanent Backward Classes Commission conducted a caste-wise social, educational, and economic survey by spending Rs 162 crores. The cost was shared. The previous government were reluctant to accept the survey report. Now our government will accept this report," the Chief Minister added. He also said that people will be provided with necessary facilities in various sectors such as education and employment.