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DK Shivakumar feels 'caste survey too personal', calls for simpler questionnaire
Bengaluru's caste survey began with Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar being surveyed, leading to discomfort over personal questions.
Bengaluru’s long-delayed Socio-Economic and Educational Survey, popularly known as the caste survey, kicked off with a touch of drama on Saturday as enumerators treated Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar like any other resident, asking all 60 questions and reportedly making him a little uncomfortable.
The survey team, which included senior officials from the Backward Classes Department, KV Rajendra, Commissioner of Bengaluru West City Corporation, and Munish Moudgil, Special Commissioner for Revenue, Greater Bengaluru Authority, visited Shivakumar’s Sadashivanagar residence, where his family was present, The New Indian Express reported.
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While Shivakumar patiently fielded the questions, he felt some were too personal. “Is there a need to ask about cattle, poultry, tractors, court cases and diseases? Social and economic information is enough. People will get exhausted. I only lost patience. Will the public be patient in answering all the questions?” he remarked, according to the publication.
He later instructed Tulasi Maddineni, the concerned secretary, to reduce the number of questions and advised enumerators to be more sensible while surveying urban households. Shivakumar also noted that it took over an hour to complete his family’s survey, although enumerators are expected to finish in 20 minutes per household.
Despite the challenges, Shivakumar urged the public to participate.
The Social and Educational Survey ran into hurdles on its first day in Bengaluru on Saturday after enumerators staged a protest demanding that their grievances be addressed.
Around 100 enumerators held a sit-in at the Malleswaram municipal office, causing a temporary disruption. The survey, which started across Karnataka on September 22 and will continue until October 7, is scheduled to be conducted in Bengaluru over two days, news agency PTI reported.
The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) officials said the protesting enumerators raised personal challenges, including caring for ailing family members and dealing with health issues. A woman reportedly brought her special child to the protest site to underline why she could not participate in the exercise.
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