State-Led Caste Census Holds No Validity: Pralhad Joshi

Rapid Summary

• Union Minister Pralhad Joshi criticized the Karnataka State government’s caste survey, claiming it holds no legal validity as only the Union government has the authority to conduct census activities.
• He alleged that the Congress-led State government’s initiative is a political move aimed at dividing Hindu society.
• Mr. Joshi also argued that reservation policies have been altered by successive Congress governments,accusing them of including new communities and extending benefits to religious converts without legal provisions for such actions.
• He highlighted concerns over categorizing groups like “Kuruba Christians,” “Brahmin Christians,” and “Lingayat Christians,” stating these classifications do not exist naturally and are politically motivated.
• The Minister accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of being an “ultra leftist” and wasting ₹400 crore on similar initiatives in the past, reiterating his claim that this survey would fail to gain recognition or acceptance.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The controversy surrounding Karnataka’s caste survey reflects deeper debates about social justice policies in India and their implementation at both state and central levels. While Mr. Pralhad Joshi raises questions about the legalities of such surveys conducted by state governments, this highlights a broader issue – whether states possess sufficient autonomy to explore localized data collection for policy-making or if they must defer entirely to national frameworks like censuses led by the Union government.

Caste-based data gathering has historically been contentious but crucial for evidence-based policymaking in diverse societies like India’s.Though, critiques regarding budgetary allocations (₹400 crore) or accusations of divisive intentions underline persistent tensions between different political ideologies on how such surveys should be framed or utilized.

As Karnataka moves ahead with this effort under its current leadership, other stakeholders at both state and national levels may need collaborative dialogues on addressing caste inequities while avoiding fueling societal discord.

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