Is Internal Reservation Causing Controversy in Karnataka?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Controversy over survey methodology
- Public outcry and political backlash
- Government suspensions and investigations
- Concerns about data collection integrity
- Opposition criticism and upcoming protests
Bengaluru, July 3 (NationPress) A significant controversy has arisen regarding the door-to-door survey of Scheduled Caste households tied to internal reservation in Karnataka. Numerous complaints have surfaced, indicating that survey personnel only placed stickers on residences without gathering any actual details.
The stickers declare that the survey is complete, inciting anger among the residents.
Social media platforms are inundated with posts mocking the state government's survey methodology.
Several incidents have been reported where individuals confronted survey staff for their failure to collect personal details.
In one notable case, a local resident in Bengaluru was allegedly assaulted by surveyors in front of his family on Thursday.
Following the release of CCTV footage capturing the incident, the Karnataka government took action by suspending three officers and initiating an investigation.
The footage also indicated that a worker from Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), assigned to street cleaning duties, was enlisted to affix the survey stickers.
Many residents reported that stickers were placed on unoccupied homes and that they had no interaction with any survey personnel.
People are questioning the legitimacy of the state government’s claim that the survey is complete without any actual data collection.
In the meantime, the Karnataka BJP has criticized the Congress-led government regarding the purportedly flawed internal survey.
On social media, the BJP condemned the Congress-led administration, stating, "Karnataka's caste census of the SC community is yet another guaranteed misuse of Kannadigas' tax money. The 'Lottery CM' seems to have instructed his team to place 'survey done' stickers on doors without visiting homes, even marking empty houses."
"What credibility does a survey hold if it is conducted in locked homes? Who did the surveyors engage with?" questioned the BJP.
"Scam CM Siddaramaiah and Congress have never genuinely supported SC/ST communities. This is merely another scam disguised as a caste survey to exploit Kannadigas' tax money," they asserted.
"Caste census is not a matter for the state. Why, then, is Rahul Gandhi and his entourage so invested? The answer is straightforward: funds for the Bihar elections," they added.
The JD-S also criticized the state government on X, stating, "This is a fraudulent survey by the Dalit-oppressive Congress-led Karnataka government. CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, who claim to advocate for Scheduled Castes — what kind of survey is it where notices are secretly affixed to homes without collecting information from the residents?"
"Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, who are engulfed in bribery, corruption, and infighting over positions — do not squander taxpayers' money on your political maneuvering at the expense of Kannadigas," the JD-S remarked.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, when announcing the door-to-door survey aimed at providing internal reservation for 101 sub-castes falling under the Scheduled Caste category, emphasized the need for specific data.
The Justice Nagamohan Das Commission has made all necessary arrangements to gather empirical data, utilizing around 65,000 teachers for the survey.
The Karnataka BJP has declared its intention to commence statewide protests from August 1, advocating for the implementation of internal reservation in the state.
The saffron party has also criticized the Congress-led administration for leveraging the internal reservation issue as a "political strategy" for vote bank politics.
At a press conference on Thursday at the state BJP headquarters, Jagannath Bhavan in Bengaluru, former Deputy Chief Minister and MP Govind Karjol announced this and alleged that the Siddaramaiah-led government is conspiring to sidestep the implementation of internal reservation.