Karnataka caste survey is model of how not to conduct census: R. Ashoka
Bengaluru: Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, R. Ashoka, has strongly criticised Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s statement suggesting that the Karnataka caste survey should serve as a model for national implementation.
Sharing his views on social media platform X, Ashoka called the Karnataka caste survey a “laughable model” and highlighted several flaws: the original copy is reportedly missing, the survey lacks proper official signatures, schoolchildren were allegedly paid Rs 5–10 per page to fill out forms, and surveyors skipped houses with dogs. He said the survey, even after ten years, exemplifies how *not* to conduct a caste census.
He refuted the claim that the BJP has always opposed caste census, calling it a “blatant lie.” Ashoka pointed out that in 2010, the then Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, the late Sushma Swaraj, had formally conveyed to the UPA government BJP’s support for including caste enumeration in the 2011 census. He also reminded that BJP supported the unanimous resolution passed in Parliament at the time.
However, he criticised the then Congress-led government for replacing the caste census with the 2011 Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC), which he claimed failed due to poor planning and ineffective implementation, despite the massive public expenditure involved. He noted that the results of that survey were never released, which, according to him, shows Congress’s lack of genuine commitment to caste-based data.
Ashoka emphasised that the BJP never used caste census as an electoral weapon. “Unlike Congress, which weeps in opposition but ignores the issue in power, BJP made concrete efforts while in office,” he said, adding that BJP’s stand has always been clear, caste census must not be politicised or misused.
He concluded by stating that the upcoming caste census planned by the central government will be conducted transparently, scientifically, and with sincerity, unlike the politically motivated approach of the Karnataka government.
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Two workers trapped after wall of opencast coal mine collapses in Jharkhand
Hazaribag (PTI): Two workers have been trapped after the wall of an opencast mine collapsed on a truck in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh district, police said on Sunday.
The accident occurred around 11 pm on Saturday in the command area of Central Coalfield Limited (CCL) under the Urimari Police Station limits when the highwall of the mine caved in on the coal-loading vehicle, a senior officer said.
A highwall in mining is the face of exposed overburden and coal in a mine, and its stability is important for safety of miners and equipment, experts said.
The trapped coal workers, who were on the truck when the accident occurred, were identified as Sunil Yadav (30) and Raju Paswan (50), Barkagaon sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Pawan Kumar said.
"A rescue operation is underway for the two workers. Another person has already been rescued from the accident site and admitted to a hospital here," he added.
The trapped workers could not be rescued on Saturday night due to darkness, fog and a protest by coal workers there, the SDPO said.
The labourers at the opencast mine stopped their coal extraction activities after the accident, he added.
