Bengaluru, Oct 20 (IANS) Karnataka BJP on Monday accused the state government of allegedly “misuning” caste census for the vote bank politics.

Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka said that not everyone has participated in the caste survey being conducted. “As Infosys’ Sudha Murthy did not provide information for the caste survey, CM Siddaramaiah and Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi have threatened her. The government itself is engaging in rowdyism here. Even though the High Court has said that providing information is up to the people’s wish, the government is violating it and showing goondaism. Conducting the caste survey itself is illegal, and threatening like this is another illegality,” Ashoka said.

He claimed that revealing what Sudha Murthy had written in the survey form was wrong, adding that the High Court has said that no one’s information should be revealed, and privacy must be maintained. Along with this, they are also threatening teachers and officials.

Earlier, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Minister Shivraj Tangadagi criticized Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murty for her refusal to participate in the state’s Social and Educational Survey, sometimes referred to as the “caste survey”.

Ashoka alleged that Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar is criticising entrepreneurs, adding that if roads are not good, he gives moral lessons. “When Mohan Das Pai and Kiran Mazumdar Shaw question, he criticizes them. To say that they have received everything from Bengaluru, neither CM Siddaramaiah nor D.K. Shivakumar built and developed this city. Those who pay taxes also have the right to question,” he said.

He said that even though the government has spent Rs 2,000 crore to fill potholes, the results are not visible.

He also claimed that when floods come, an all-party meeting should have been called, adding that without holding a meeting, and approaching the central government, the state government is saying that no relief is coming.

“The central government has already released relief as per rules,” he claimed.

He also said that there is no evidence that the then former CM Jagadish Shettar issued an order prohibiting programmes by external organizations in school premises.

“This was not discussed in the then BJP led government’s cabinet. It is an order related to one school in Chamarajpet. The current government has applied it to everything and issued the order. If there is an order signed by Jagadish Shettar or the then ministers, let them reveal it,” he said.

Ashoka said that discussion at the government level about RSS ‘Path Sanchalan’ has happened 100 years after RSS it came into existence.

“A problem that didn’t exist for so many years has come now. Every Friday in Bengaluru’s Chamarajpet, namaz is performed on the road. Doesn’t this cause traffic problems? During Ramzan, Eid Milad, roads are closed. No one takes permission then. In some places, celebrations are done holding swords in processions. They are not considered as weapons. In RSS path sanchalan, no one has ever been harmed,” he said.

–IANS

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