Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy and author Sudha Murty have “some misconceptions” about the ongoing social and education survey being conducted in the state.
“There is a perception that this is a poll for backward castes,” Siddaramaiah told reporters on Friday. “It’s not a survey of the backward classes. Let them write what they want. People should understand what this survey is about. What can I do if they don’t understand?” he said.
The chief minister’s statement came after the Murthys refused to participate in the survey, stating on the proforma that they did not belong to backward communities.
Sudha Murty, who is also a member of the Rajya Sabha, reportedly wrote a statement on the survey form stating that the survey has no meaning or use for the government in their case. The couple also submitted their own declaration of non-participation in the trial.
“Should Infosys (founder) mean ‘Brihaspati’ (intelligent)? We have said twenty times that this is not a survey for the backward classes, but a survey for everyone,” Siddaramaiah said.
What else did Siddaramaiah say?
The Karnataka CM said the government has launched welfare schemes including Shakti, which offers free bus rides to women in non-luxury government buses, and Gruha Lakshmi, which provides ₹2,000 per month to women headed families from economically weaker sections.
“Aren’t upper caste women and persons above the poverty line availing Shakti scheme? Aren’t there upper caste people among the beneficiaries of Gruha Lakshmi?” he asked.
The Prime Minister stated that despite repeated clarifications by ministers, misconceptions about the exercise persist. “Now the Center is also coming up with the caste census. Then what answer will they (Murthys) give? I feel they have wrong information,” he said.
“I am making this very, very clear – this is not a survey for the backward classes, but a socio-economic and educational survey of the seven crore people of Karnataka,” he said.
How did DK Shivakumar answer?
On Thursday, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar also reacted to Murthy’s decision. “We are not forcing anyone to participate in the survey. It is on a voluntary basis,” he said.
This is not a backward class survey but a socio-economic and educational survey of the seven million people of Karnataka.
The Karnataka Cabinet led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on 12 June approved a fresh poll effectively scrapping the 2015 exercise citing Section 11(1) The Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes Act1995, which mandates revision of the state list of backward classes once in 10 years.
