Bengaluru: Infosys cofounder NR Narayana Murthy and his wife, author and Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murty, have formally declined to participate in the Karnataka government’s ongoing caste census.
When enumerators visited their home in Jayanagar, they were informed that the couple would not cooperate. According to officials, the Murthys responded, “Sorry, we will not be participating in this survey.”
Along with their verbal refusal, they submitted a written declaration with the survey form stating:
“We do not belong to the backward class. We are economically, socially, and educationally advanced. In this case, there is no benefit to the government or the backward class by getting our information. The basic purpose of this survey is to identify the backward class and provide them facilities. Therefore, it is right for us not to participate in it.”
They also added that inclusion of their data would not serve the objectives of the exercise, which they believe is focused on identifying backward classes.
Both Murthy and Sudha Murty signed and returned the survey form to formally communicate their decision.
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, when asked about their refusal, emphasized that the caste census is voluntary. “This is everyone’s personal matter. We cannot force anyone into this. It is their own choice,” he said to reporters.
The Karnataka caste census is currently being carried out across the state, featuring 60 main questions and 20 sub-questions designed by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes. In Bengaluru alone, approximately 15.42 lakh households have been surveyed so far, though data on how many declined participation is still not available.
