Karnataka caste census: What CM Siddaramaiah told census enumerator

Bengaluru, April 17: It seems Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has got a taste of his own medicine.

On Thursday, when CM was interrogated by enumerator of the Social and Educational Survey popularly known as caste census, launched by his Government, he struggled to give some information.

Siddaramaiah, who was preparing to leave for Mysuru, managed to answer 45 of the 55 questions, says Times of India report.

"I will answer the rest after gathering complete information," he was quoted as saying in the report.

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The report said Siddaramaiah easily replied to 25 questions which were focused on personal details, but he struggled when was asked about his age at the time of joining school, annual income and property.

In the first such massive exercise, Karnataka government on Saturday set in motion the caste census across the state.

About 1.33 lakh government staff, mostly school teachers from across the state, undertake census work, which is said to be the first of its kind initiated by the state government post independence.

Conducted by the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission, the census intends to cover an estimated 1.31 crore families in the state, according to officials. Stating that Rs 116 crore has already been allocated for the census, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in his recent budget speech had said that Rs 73 crore will be allocated in 2015-16 to complete the survey.

The Karnataka High Court had on Friday refused to stay the survey and adjourned till July the hearing on the public interest litigation that questioned the legality of holding such census.

Flagging off the census in the city, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy requested citizens to give accurate information to all the 55 questions by the census staff during the 20-day exercise.

He said the census will help in gathering data about those who are still backward both educationally and socially, and will help the administration in framing programmes that is inclusive of all the sections.

Here are some answers given by CM Siddaramiah:

Name: Siddaramaiah

Age: 67 years

Nickname: No

Married at what age: 29 years

Wife: Parvathi

Children: S Rakesh, Dr Yeteendra

Education: B Sc, LLB

Religion: Hindu

Caste: Kuruba

Sub-caste: I don't have a sub-caste though people identify me with different names

Occupation: Primarily agriculturist, though I am CM of Karnataka

Any diseases: None

Age at the time of joining school: I joined the first standard directly. I don't remember what my age was then. I think I was 11.

Have you availed government benefits under reservation: No

Properties: Two houses (One in Bengaluru and another in Mysuru), a shopping complex, car and 73 acres of farm land.

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