Centre's decision on caste census was taken keeping Bihar polls in mind: CM Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru, May 1 (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said the Centre decided to conduct caste census keeping Bihar assembly elections in mind.
He said that Centre’s move on caste census was also due to the pressure built by the Congress, especially its former president Rahul Gandhi.
“The hurry in which the BJP led Centre took the decision regarding caste census on Wednesday made me believe that it was done in view of Bihar assembly elections,” Siddaramaiah said addressing a press conference.
The Chief Minister insisted that the 50 per cent ceiling on reservation should be relaxed.
There should be an analysis of the socio-economic and education status of the SC/ST, OBC and minorities and they should be given reservation accordingly, he insisted.
According to him, the verdict mandating 50 per cent ceiling was given in 1992 in the Indra Sawhney case. The division bench of Supreme Court while hearing about the Mandal Commission introduced ceiling on reservation, he explained.
“There were no scientific or constitutional reasons behind the ceiling on reservation but the SC put 50 per cent ceiling,” Siddaramaiah said.
The chief minister said the state government cannot revise the ceiling on the reservation because it is the Centre’s domain. The state government can only recommend to the Centre, he added.
When asked about the fate of the caste census report prepared by the Karnataka government, which was presented before the state cabinet, Siddaramaiah said, “The remaining portion of the report apart from caste census, such as social and educational survey recommendations will be implemented.”
To a question whether he would implement the social and educational survey report even after the Centre’s caste survey report is out, the Chief Minister said the survey report prepared by the Backward Class Commission is still at the discussion level in the government.
“We will discuss it in the cabinet and get the opinions of our ministers. Most likely, the cabinet meeting will be convened on May 9,” he added.
The Chief Minister underlined that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been insisting that 50 per cent ceiling should be removed and reservation should be provided based on the population of the backward communities.
“Due to Gandhi’s insistence, the Congress government in Karnataka promised removing the 50 pre cent ceiling on reservation in its election manifesto. Due to the continuous pressure, the Centre agreed for caste census,” Siddaramaiah said.
He also said that the All India Congress Committee convention in Ahmedabad passed a resolution to this effect on April 9.
The Chief Minister further said that Rahul Gandhi has also sought to know the date when the enumeration process would start in the country.
“The caste census should not be like women’s reservation bill. Besides census and caste census, there should be enumeration of socio-economic and educational survey,” he added.
In a major decision, the Centre on Wednesday announced that caste enumeration will be included in the forthcoming census exercise in a 'transparent' manner.
Opposition parties, including the Congress, have been demanding a nationwide caste census, making it a major election issue, and some states like Bihar, Telangana and Karnataka have conducted such surveys.
Karnataka carried out a 'social and educational survey' covering 94 per cent of the state's population. After nine years of the exercise since 2015, the then Backward Class Commission Chairperson Jayaprakash Hegde submitted the report to the chief minister in February 2024.
Amid internal differences over the caste census report, a special meeting of the state cabinet that met on April 17, 2025 to discuss it, ended inconclusive, without any major decision.
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Centre spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print media ads for RSS centenary, reveals RTI
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Culture allegedly spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print advertisements marking the 100-year celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply.
The information was sought by RTI activist Ajay Basudev Bose, who filed an application seeking details on expenditure incurred by the ministry for advertisements commemorating the RSS centenary.
Bose shared a picture of the reply from the ministry on his official ‘X’ handle.
“It is informed that an amount of Rs 76,13,129 has been spent on advertisement given in various print media by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the completion of 100 years of RSS,” the government’s reply stated.
RTI reply shows Min of Culture Govt of India spent a Whopping Rs 76L,13K,129 on Advertisement in Print Media on occasion of 100 yrs of #RSS
— AJAY Basudev Bose (@AjayBos93388306) April 16, 2026
When Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??@RSSorg… pic.twitter.com/dW4IUtdNCg
Bose questioned the expenditure in the post X, “when Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??”
Reacting to the development, Karnataka’s IT-BT and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge also criticised the spending.
In a post on X, he asked why public money was being used for what he described as a “private ideological project.”
"Modi Sarkar spent Rs 76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS. Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to celebrate their centenary?," he added.
Why is public money being used to serve a private ideological project?
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) April 16, 2026
Modi Sarkar spent ₹76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS.
Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to… pic.twitter.com/EoZ6Pim3IM
According to reports, the RSS describes itself as a volunteer-based organisation and has stated that it functions as a body of individuals rather than a registered entity.
Founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in 1925, the organisation is marking its centenary year beginning from Vijaydashami in 2025, with the milestone observed on October 2.
