Bengaluru: The ongoing Karnataka caste census, now in its seventh day, has turned into a major political flashpoint after Union Minister Pralhad Joshi declared he would not share his household details with the survey, citing data security concerns.
“I will not share my household details with this survey. It is not safe,” Joshi said, sparking heated reactions from the Congress government and fueling the BJP-Congress political tussle.
State Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao sharply countered Joshi’s statement, saying, “Refusing to share data only reflects your pettiness. The census is for people’s welfare, not for sale.”
Opposition leader R. Ashoka alleged the caste census was a tool to cut back on free schemes, while Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar assured that “no party or government can stop the guarantees given by Congress.”
Officials defending the survey emphasized that it aims to gather crucial insights into the social, caste, and religious demographics across Karnataka. The Congress maintains it is a tool for welfare planning, while the BJP continues to allege political misuse.
Joshi’s strong words have ensured that what began as a demographic survey has now snowballed into a political showdown between the ruling Congress and opposition BJP.
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