Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], April 14 (ANI): Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Monday slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), calling its members 'stooges of RSS' in reference to their stance on minority rights and caste-based allocation, following a report on the state's caste census.

He accused the BJP leaders of not understanding the Constitution and aligning with the RSS ideology, which he claimed does not prioritise equality.

Speaking to mediapersons, Kharge said, 'Muslims are minorities as per the Constitution. They (BJP) don't understand the Constitution... The Parliament has already declared Muslims as minorities. The problem lies with CT Ravi and the BJP -- they don't understand or want to read the Constitution properly.'

Kharge further said that the BJP's opposition to policies aimed at empowering marginalised communities, including SCs, STs, and backward classes, was driven by their ideological allegiance to the RSS and called for the central government to follow the example set by the Karnataka government, which allocates a budget based on the population of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).

'Whether it is any commission that seeks to empower the SCs, STs, backwards, or socially backward people, the BJP has a problem with it... Today, PM Modi should also declare that, like the government of Karnataka, we will also allocate a budget based on the population of the SCs and STs,' he said.

The Minister also reiterated the Congress party's firm stance on the caste census, calling it part of the party's manifesto. He criticised the central government for not being guided by its own manifesto but by the ideological framework of the RSS, accusing them of pursuing policies that neglect equality.

'Our stand is very clear on the caste census... This government in the centre or the BJP over here is not guided by its own manifestos or anything. They're guided by RSS. They are stooges of RSS. And they will do and dance to the tune of RSS, and in philosophy or ideology, there is no equality,' Kharge asserted.

This came following the BJP's backlash on the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes' report on the caste census (socioeconomic and educational survey) submitted to the Siddaramaiah-led cabinet. If released, the caste census report will be the second by a Congress-ruled state after Telangana. (ANI)