A video shared by Bengaluru Central MP PC Mohan has sparked a row after it showed officials from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) affixing caste survey stickers on houses without conducting any actual survey.
The footage, shows BBMP workers bypassing homes and placing stickers arbitrarily. Sharing the video on X, Mohan criticised the Congress-led state government, saying, “In 2015, the Congress government spent ₹170 Cr on a caste census in Karnataka, then blamed dogs for its flaws. Now in Bengaluru, BBMP is pasting caste stickers without collecting any data. From dogs to data-less drama, Congress’s idea of social justice is a comedy of errors.”
Watch the video here:
Three officials suspended
On Wednesday, the BBMP suspended three officials revenue inspector Ramesh, tax collector Peddaraju, and assistant revenue officer C Senthil Kumar, for dereliction of duty in the ongoing caste census exercise for Scheduled Castes.
{{/usCountry}}On Wednesday, the BBMP suspended three officials revenue inspector Ramesh, tax collector Peddaraju, and assistant revenue officer C Senthil Kumar, for dereliction of duty in the ongoing caste census exercise for Scheduled Castes.
{{/usCountry}}According to the suspension order issued by BBMP East Zone Zonal Commissioner Snehal R on July 2, the officials failed to ensure that the enumerators completed the survey process before affixing stickers on homes.
The instructions required that stickers be placed only after contacting residents, completing the enumeration, and uploading the collected data via a mobile application.
However, it was found that in several cases, the stickers were affixed without any contact with homeowners, in violation of the protocol.
In response to the criticism, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah defended the intent behind the exercise and urged the public not to panic.
“Is there any problem in applying online? We will do enumeration online, or approach door-to-door and in the camps. You just have to tell your caste using any of the three means. This is related to only the Scheduled Caste,” he told reporters according to PTI.
The incident has triggered criticism from opposition leaders, who have accused the Congress government of mishandling the caste census despite the sensitive nature of the exercise and the significant public funds allocated to it.
(With PTI inputs)
(Also Read: 'My comments were in haste', says Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw after CM Siddaramaiah's clarification)