Siddaramaiah lashes out at Murthys over Karnataka caste survey, mocks Infosys link

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has slammed Infosys founder Narayana Murthy and author-philanthropist Sudha Murthy for refusing to participate in the state government’s socio-economic survey, saying the couple was misinformed about its scope.

Speaking to reporters, Siddaramaiah clarified that the survey is for all residents under the Shakti Yojana, not just backward classes. “This survey includes everyone — the poor, upper castes — covering seven crore people in the state. It is wrong to think this is only a backward caste survey,” he said.

The CM directly addressed the Murthys, questioning their stance: “Are the people from Infosys some kind of experts? Just because they are from Infosys, do they know everything? Upper castes also benefit from schemes like free electricity and free bus travel for women. This survey is for all castes.”

He accused the couple of being misinformed and reiterated that the survey collects economic, educational, and social data for Karnataka’s population. The ongoing caste census includes 60 main questions and 20 sub-questions, designed by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes.

Murthys’ Response
The couple declined to participate, stating they do not belong to any backward category. Sudha Murty submitted a self-declaration letter noting, “We do not belong to any backward community. Hence, we will not participate in a government-conducted survey meant for such groups,” according to the Karnataka State Backwards Classes Commission.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar emphasized that participation is voluntary. “We don’t force anyone to take part. It’s completely their choice,” he said. Minister Santosh Lad added that Sudha Murty’s decision does not influence others and highlighted that the central government provides a 10% reservation for the economically weaker sections, which is also relevant.

Siddaramaiah’s remarks underscore the government’s insistence that the survey is inclusive and aims to gather data across all castes and communities in Karnataka.