Hubballi, Oct 10 (IANS): BJP leader Basavraj Bommai on Tuesday said Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should clarify whether census is caste-based or socio-economic survey.

Talking to reporters in Hubballi, Bommai, former chief minister, said, "the Congress executive committee meeting in New Delhi had discussed the caste census. Let the government here release it. The survey might not be accepted by all communities. But, there will be scope for discussion on pros and cons and amendments."

"The previous Congress government had conducted a survey for economic and academic purposes. The government order in this regard also states that it is economic and academic survey of people. Then Congress government had published it. Then, it was not released against the backdrop of elections and political reasons," Bommai maintained.

“Now, they are talking about it again. It should be clarified first whether the survey conducted is a caste census. Because, it is nowhere mentioned in the government order that the survey conducted with an expenditure of Rs 168 crore was a caste census,” Bommai underlined.

First, let the Congress government Chief Minister give clarification on what is done in the census, how it is done. The Congress leaders themselves had stated that the discussion could be made after analysing the contents of the report, Bommai said.

"Few communities might be upset with the report, few might be benefitted which is a subject for debate. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) in this regard had taken a stand, let it go ahead," he said.

Siddaramaiah had stated after participating in CWC meeting in New Delhi that "his government would look into the caste census report which is pending".