Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said Infosys founder N R Narayana Murthy and author Sudha Murty have “some misconceptions” about the ongoing social and educational survey being conducted in the state.
“There is a notion that this is a survey for backward castes,” Siddaramaiah told reporters here.
“It is not a backward classes survey. Let them write whatever they want. People should understand what this survey is about. What can I do if they are unable to understand?” he said.
Sudha Murty, who is also a Rajya Sabha member, reportedly wrote a statement on the survey form, declaring that the survey held no relevance or use for the government in their case. The couple also submitted a self-declaration letter opting out of the process.
“Should Infosys (founder) mean ‘Brihaspati’ (intelligent)? We have said 20 times it’s not a backward classes survey but a survey for everyone,” Siddaramaiah said.
The Karnataka CM stated that the government had 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 heads of families from economically weaker sections.
“Aren’t upper-caste women and those above the poverty line availing the Shakti scheme? Aren’t upper-caste people among the Gruha Lakshmi beneficiaries?” he asked.
The chief minister stated that despite repeated clarifications from ministers, misconceptions about the exercise persisted. “Now the Centre is also coming up with a caste census. What answer will they (Murthys) give then? I feel they have the wrong information,” he said.
“I am making it very, very clear — this is not a survey for backward classes but a socio-economic and educational survey of seven crore people of Karnataka,” he asserted.
On Thursday, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar also responded to Murthy’s decision. “We don’t force anybody to participate in the survey. It’s on a volunteer basis,” he said.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka Cabinet on June 12 approved a fresh survey, effectively nullifying the 2015 exercise, citing Section 11(1) of the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1995, which mandates a revision of the state backward classes list once every 10 years.
