Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], April 14: Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge strongly criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday, accusing the party of opposing initiatives aimed at social justice and calling its members “stooges of RSS.” His remarks followed backlash from the BJP over the state’s caste census report, recently submitted to the Siddaramaiah-led cabinet.
Addressing the media, Kharge lashed out at BJP leaders for allegedly misunderstanding the Constitution and aligning their ideology with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). “Muslims are minorities as per the Constitution. Parliament has already declared Muslims as minorities. The problem lies with CT Ravi and the BJP—they don’t understand or want to read the Constitution properly,” he stated.
He further accused the BJP of resisting measures that empower Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and backward communities, arguing that their opposition stems from an ideological allegiance to the RSS, which he claimed does not uphold the principle of equality.
“Whether it’s any commission that seeks to uplift SCs, STs, or backward classes, the BJP has a problem with it. Prime Minister Modi should follow the Karnataka model and declare a budget based on the population of SCs and STs,” Kharge urged.
The Minister also reaffirmed the Congress party’s commitment to the caste census, calling it a core part of their manifesto. He took aim at the central government, claiming it prioritizes RSS ideology over its own electoral promises. “This government at the centre is not guided by its manifesto. They are stooges of RSS and will act according to its ideology, which doesn’t believe in equality,” he said.
The controversy comes in the wake of the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes submitting its socioeconomic and educational survey—commonly referred to as the caste census—to the state cabinet. If made public, Karnataka will become the second Congress-ruled state after Telangana to release such a report.
The debate has reignited national discussions on caste-based data and its role in policymaking, with the Congress advocating for transparency and data-driven allocation, while the BJP has raised concerns about its political motives.