Caste census report to be implemented in the coming days, Siddaramaiah

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said his government will take necessary steps to implement the caste census report in the coming days.

Addressing the gathering after inaugurating the Alumni Association of Backward Class Hostels in Mysuru on Sunday, Mr. Siddaramaiah said his earlier government had conducted the caste census to identify persons from the backward classes, who had been deprived of opportunities, and provide them with preferential treatment.

The report of the caste census could not be implemented before his earlier tenure came to an end in 2018, but the report had recently been submitted. “I will place the report before the Cabinet in the coming days and take steps to implement it,” he said.

He pointed out that the implementation of the caste census report was part of the Congress party’s principle.

Caste census was part of the country’s population census before 1931, he said while adding that the caste-based data could not be gathered in 1941 as the world war had started. Caste-based census could not be conducted even post-independence, he added.

A debate on conducting caste census was on in various states of the country, he said adding that such a collection of caste-based data will help identify the economic, educational, social and political condition of various groups in the country.

Such an exercise will help the government extend special treatment to the marginalised groups.

Pointing out that such deprived and poor people may exist in all castes, Mr. Siddaramaiah said B.R. Ambedkar had made provision for equal opportunities for people from Backward Classes, Dalits and Minorities in the Constitution.

He attributed the inequalities prevailing the society to the denial of such opportunities to everybody.

Discussing the importance of education, Mr. Siddaramaiah pointed out that true education should promote scientific thinking and foster responsible individuals. He quoted poet laureate Kuvempu and said people should liberate themselves from the clutches of caste and superstition to become “Vishwa Manava” or “Person with universal consciousness”.

“Without a sense of scientific temper and social responsibility, education loses its purpose,” he said. Warning against the dangers of selfishness, Mr Siddaramaiah said people thinking about their own families become self-centred, and added that this mentality had contributed to the rise in the number of old age homes.

Mr. Siddaramaiah recalled that the introduction of student hostels in 1977 had played a crucial role in the education of backward-class students. Pointing out that these hostels accommodate 1.87 lakh students at present, he said such reforms of the past had today ensured that children from the underprivileged sections gain access to education.

The Chief Minister recalled his own struggles as a student due to absence of reservation system at that time and pointed out that he had missed opportunities for higher education and had to arrange for his own accommodation.

He said his government introduced the Vidyasiri scheme to provide the necessary support to students while also increasing the scholarship for pre-matric students with the amount raised from ₹750 to ₹1,750 during the last five years. The scholarship amount will be further increased to ₹1,850 during 2024-25, he said.

Outlining his government’s plans to establish one residential school in every hobli across the State, Mr. Siddaramaiah said 20 Morarji Desai Residential Schools are to be built this year, adding to the existing 822 such schools in the State.

Published - September 29, 2024 07:55 pm IST