BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said that the Backward Classes Commission had sought time till December 2023-January 2024 to submit the caste census report and the chairman had sought extension till then.
Speaking to reporters, the CM said the commission chairman Jayaprakash Hegde had met him and sought extension till the report is presented. “His term was to end this month, but we will extend his term till the report is presented. He has said the report will be presented in December”, Siddaramaiah said.
The CM said the government has spent Rs 167 crore on the caste census and will examine the report. “We need to see what is in the report and if there are any doubts. We don’t know what is in the report and it will be known once it is submitted”, he said.
Responding to questions on opposition to the report, the CM said, “The report is yet to be submitted, how can there be opposition to it? Let the commission submit the report, then we will discuss it in the cabinet”.
On the Vokkaligara Sangha’s memorandum opposing the caste census report and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar extending support by signing the memorandum, Siddaramaiah said, “I received their memorandum, but told them that the report is yet to be submitted. Shivakumar has not spoken to me on the issue, only the Vokkaligara Sangha members met me on Tuesday. They have not even seen the report”.
To questions on the commission chairman Jayaprakash Hegde allegedly saying that the original draft of the report is lost, the CM said, “I don’t know about it. I am neither the chairman nor secretary of the commission. He should be asked about it”.
Referring to demands that the caste census should be scientific, the CM said, “I haven’t seen it myself. The commission was set up for a purpose, but no one has seen the report. Once it is submitted, let us see if there are any doubts and then we will decide whether to accept it or not”.
The CM also said preliminary discussions have been held on appointments to boards and corporations. “Discussions were held on who should get what, but nothing has been finalised yet”, he said. Siddaramaiah, however, refused to react to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as ‘panauti’ after India lost the World Cup final to Australia on Sunday.