Tumakuru: Senior Congress leader and former minister K.N. Rajanna once again expressed sharp dissatisfaction with his own party’s government, alleging that recent decisions in the caste census indirectly encourage religious conversions.
Speaking to reporters in Tumakuru on Sunday, Rajanna said he had personally opposed the mention of “Christian” alongside caste names in the caste census. “Writing Christian next to caste names amounts to encouraging conversion. I too had objected to it earlier, and now it has been deleted. The government should never have allowed such a formulation in the first place,” he remarked.
The Congress MLA argued that people who convert to Christianity should not continue to claim caste-based benefits. “If a person from a dominant community converts to Christianity, they should not be allowed to retain the benefits of their original caste. Conversion should not mean enjoying both advantages — the religious change and the caste-linked reservations. The government must take a clear stand on this,” Rajanna insisted.
On the issue of alleged voter fraud, Rajanna pressed for a thorough investigation into cases of “vote chori” (vote theft). He criticized the manner in which complaints are being handled and urged authorities to pursue the matter from the ground up. “The SIT has been formed, but the process must be rigorous. First, register an FIR. Then check how one person could submit six or seven online forms under the same name and identity. For example, a man named Mallikarjun deleted seven votes using my name itself. Such cases should be investigated to the root — where does he live, what was the motive, who guided him?” Rajanna questioned.
Calling it a serious matter of fraud, the Congress legislator said the issue went beyond clerical errors. “This is misrepresentation and a criminal conspiracy. It should be booked under the relevant sections of law. Without a strong example, these manipulations will continue and weaken the democratic process,” he warned.
Rajanna’s open criticism once again highlights growing friction within the ruling Congress. By repeatedly questioning his own government’s policies on sensitive issues like caste, conversion, and voter fraud, Rajanna has added to the list of embarrassments confronting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s administration.
