Caste census: BJP leaders petition Guv over dual identities
Bengaluru (PTI): A delegation of Karnataka BJP leaders and others on Tuesday petitioned Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot regarding the upcoming social and educational survey, popularly known as "caste census" list, with at least 46 castes that contain dual identities, having both Christian and Hindu caste name.
Highlighting that castes with dual identities like 'Kuruba Christian', 'Brahmin Christian', 'Vokkaliga Christian' among others, may lead to confusion and give opportunity for a large-scale religious conversion, they urged the Governor to intervene and issue necessary instructions to the government.
BJP MPs Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, P C Mohan, party state General Secretary and MLA Sunil Kumar among others were part of the delegation that met the Governor, after holding extensive discussion regarding the caste census issue, under the banner "Samajika Nyaya Jaagruti Vedike".
"The Congress Government is playing with fire instead of strengthening backward communities, this survey risks creating chaos, confusion, and conflict. It is nothing but a politically motivated gimmick at the cost of taxpayers' money," the petition by the delegation said.
"We therefore urge your excellency to kindly intervene in this matter and in your constitutional capacity, advise the Government of Karnataka against proceeding with this flawed and divisive exercise at this juncture. A fool proof, transparent, and credible survey--undertaken in alignment with the Union Government's 2026-27 national exercise -- is the only acceptable way forward."
The BJP stands firmly committed to protecting the interests of all communities in Karnataka, it further said, adding, "we will not allow the Congress Government to misuse the caste survey for political mileage and to divide society."
The state's Social and Educational Survey, popularly known as the 'caste census' will be conducted between September 22 and October 7 at an estimated cost of Rs 420 crore.
Later speaking to reporters, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar said the "artificial inclusion" of 46 sub-castes under the category of Christians like -- Billava Chrisitian, Brahmana-Christian, Vokkaliga-Chrisitian, Jangama-Christian, was "unnecessary".
Stating that it may lead to more confusion, and give opportunity for conversion to happen at a large scale, he said, "This goes against the sentiments of the population at large. The Chief Minister should certainly reconsider these elements, and in the case of the artificial sub-castes which have been given the Christian category, he should permanently remove them and do the survey in a scientific manner."
Noting that a petition has been submitted to the Governor informing him about objections, Wadiyar said, "Within the framework available to the Governor, he said he will be helping our stands."
Asked as to what the BJP's plan of action will be if the government doesn't reconsider, he said, "we have already considered a legal recourse to this matter going forward. Along with that our andolan (agitation) will also continue on the street, and various community organisations will also take this forward."
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8 dead, dozens wounded in Russian strike on Ukraine's Odesa port
Kyiv (AP): Eight people were killed and 27 wounded in a Russian missile strike on port infrastructure in Odesa, southern Ukraine, late on Friday, Ukraine's Emergency Service said on Saturday morning.
Some of the wounded were on a bus at the epicentre of the overnight strike, the service said in a Telegram post. Trucks caught fire in the parking lot, and cars were also damaged.
The port was struck with ballistic missiles, said Oleh Kiper, the head of the Odesa region.
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Elsewhere, Ukrainian forces hit a Russian warship and other facilities with drones, Ukraine's General Staff said in a statement on Saturday.
The nighttime attack on Friday hit the Russian warship “Okhotnik,” according to the statement posted to the Telegram messaging app.
The ship was patrolling in the Caspian Sea near an oil and gas production platform. The extent of the damage is still being clarified, the statement added.
A drilling platform at the Filanovsky oil and gas field in the Caspian Sea was also hit. The facility is operated by Russian oil giant Lukoil. Ukrainian drones also struck a radar system in the Krasnosilske area of Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
