Bengaluru, (DHNS): Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday opposed the Centre’s decision to set up a panel for sub-categorisation of Central list of Other Backward Classes (OBCs), stating it is being done without sufficient data.

Siddaramaiah said sub-categorisation of OBCs should not be done arbitrarily. It should be done based on scientific data, which include caste particulars and socio-economic parameters. He said the Centre has not conducted any census or survey to compile such data.

The chief minister accused the NDA government of trying to scuttle the rights of states on deciding on reservation for communities by proposing to give constitutional status to the National Commission for Other Backward Classes.

Siddaramaiah was speaking at a function organised by the Karnataka Pradesh Kurubara Sangha to felicitate Union Public Service Commission and Karnataka Public Service Commission civil service rank holders in Bengaluru.

Earlier, Hosadurga Kagi-nele Mutt seer Eshwaranandapuri Swami expressed his displeasure that Siddaramaiah is being blamed for ‘dividing society’ in the name of separate religion tag for Lingayat dharma. “There is confusion among Linagayats on securing a separate religion status and Siddaramaiah is being unnecessarily blamed,” he said.

The Sangha submitted a memorandum to the chief minister seeking that the state government should impress upon the Centre to include Kurubas in the Scheduled Castes list.