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Bengaluru, Oct 16 (IANS) Reacting to Infosys founder Narayana Murthy and his wife Sudha Murthy’s refusal to participate in the ongoing caste census, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Thursday said no one can be forced to provide information, and participation in the survey is voluntary.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Thursday, Shivakumar, responding to a question, said, “We cannot force anyone. It is left to their discretion to provide their information in the survey. All I can say is that no one can be forced in this matter.”
Meanwhile, at the Cauvery residence, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah patiently answered for over 45 minutes the enumerators who had come for the Economic, Social and Educational Survey.
Issuing a statement on caste census after his calculations, CM Siddaramaiah said that the government is conducting social and educational survey through the Backward Classes Commission.
He said, “I successfully fulfilled my duty by providing information to the officials who came to my house for this purpose. With the intention of eliminating inequality and poverty and building an equitable society, our government has conducted this survey.”
He appealed, saying, “Everyone should participate in this survey without fail and provide their information honestly. Only then will we get accurate data about the real condition of the society, which will help in identifying the economically, socially and educationally backward classes and designing welfare programs for their progress.”
Siddaramaiah said that this is not a survey limited to any one caste, but a scientific effort to throw light on the life of every person in the state. He said that by giving your information in this survey, your personal details will definitely not be misused.
“Don’t worry, share your information with authorities with confidence,” he claimed.
Opposition leader R Ashok said that all the information about the people is being collected in the caste survey.
He said, “If money goes missing from people’s bank accounts, the government itself will be responsible. No one should give personal information.”
Siddaramaiah is pressurizing officials to complete the work, he said, adding that the government should have known that the survey cannot be done in 15 days.
“Because of this, the education of school children is deteriorating,” he said.
Narayana Murthy and his wife Sudha Murthy have refused to participate in the caste census. Both of them submitted a self-attested letter to the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission, the autonomous government body that conducted the survey.
Karnataka’s caste census deadline has been extended, with the survey in Bengaluru set to end by October 24, after the initial October 7 deadline was missed due to incomplete data collection.
–IANS
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