"No need for any community to panic": Minister Eshwar Khandre on Karnataka caste survey

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 7 (ANI): Karnataka Minister Eshwar Khandre on Tuesday said that the purpose of the socio-economic and educational survey being conducted in the State is to understand the socio-economic conditions of all communities, enabling the government to ensure social justice for all.
The Minister informed that 70% to 80% of the survey had been completed.
"It is not a caste census, it is a socio-economic census to know the backwardness of the socio-economic conditions of all the communities of the state...70% to 80% survey is over...Social justice will be done for all communities. There is no need for any community to panic, " Khandre told ANI.
On Monday, Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara stated that around 80 per cent of the state's population, approximately 5.6 crore people, have been enumerated in the socio-economic and educational survey. The rest of the people would be counted with the cooperation of the locals, he added.
He further mentioned that there is a possibility that the October 7 deadline of completing the caste enumeration exercise might be extended by the Chief Minister, but is "unsure" about it.
"The Chief Minister is reviewing this, and I am unsure whether they may extend the process for a few days to complete it. It has to be completed, there's no option for us", he said.
When responding to the objections raised regarding the survey, Parameshwara expressed confidence in the exercise, saying that "enumeration should happen."
"It has to be completed, there's no option for us...Yes, objections were raised by many people. In total, this is happening. Eighty per cent of the population has answered. Enumeration has occurred in 80% of the population. So, another 20% if they all cooperate, and it will be completed", he told media persons.
Karnataka's socio-economic and educational survey started on September 22 and is scheduled to conclude on October 7. The survey aims to enumerate around 7 crore people in the state, and get to know about their social and economic status in society.
A team led by Madhusudan Naik, along with five members, went around the state to collect data, with the aim of covering 50 thousand houses daily.
The residents of Shivamogga district had boycotted the survey, citing inaction over providing network connectivity in the villages. The residents of four villages under the Barur Gram Panchayat of Sagar Taluk, namely Barur, Kallukoppa, Theppagodu, and Mulukeri, held banners and protested outside the gram panchayat office. (ANI)