Karnataka CM slams Sudha Murty for opting out of caste survey

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday criticised Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murty and her husband and Infosys founder Narayana Murthy for refusing to participate in the State government's caste-based socio-economic survey. Calling Sudha Murty's understanding of the exercise "wrong," Siddaramiah said that the couple's decision stemmed from misinformation. He questioned whether they would also decline to cooperate if the Centre undertook a similar caste survey. "It is wrong to think of the survey as a survey of the backward classes," Siddaramaiah told reporters in Bengaluru. He further stated that the initiative involved people from all sections. "This is a survey that is being done, including the entire population. Under the Shakti Yojana, the poor and the upper castes will all be included. There is misinformation about this. The government has conveyed the messages of the ministers and the chief minister to the people through advertisements. It's a survey of seven crore people of the state," he said. “The state has a population of about 7 crore, and this is an economic, educational and social survey of these people,” Siddaramaiah said.

ಇನ್ಫೋಸಿಸ್‌ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಯ ಮುಖ್ಯಸ್ಥರಾದ ಸುಧಾ ಮೂರ್ತಿ ಹಾಗೂ ನಾರಾಯಣಮೂರ್ತಿ ಅವರು ಸಾಮಾಜಿಕ ಶೈಕ್ಷಣಿಕ ಸಮೀಕ್ಷೆಗೆ ಮಾಹಿತಿ ನೀಡುವುದಿಲ್ಲ, ನಾವು ಹಿಂದುಳಿದ ಜಾತಿಯವರಲ್ಲ ಎಂದು ದೃಢೀಕರಣ ಪತ್ರ ನೀಡಿರುವ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಮಾಧ್ಯಮಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ವರದಿಯಾಗಿದೆ. ಸಮೀಕ್ಷೆ ಕೇವಲ ಹಿಂದುಳಿದವರಿಗಲ್ಲಾ ಎಂಬುದನ್ನು ಮೊದಲು ಅರ್ಥ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳಬೇಕು. ಇನ್ಫೋಸಿಸ್… pic.twitter.com/LCyRvr1xrQ

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) October 17, 2025

Karnataka's socio-economic and educational survey began on September 22 and concluded on October 12 across most districts. The exercise in Bengaluru will continue till October 24, following an extension from the original October 7 deadline.

(State Correpondent)