Santosh Lad Respects Sudha Murty’s Choice to Opt Out of Karnataka Socio-Economic Survey

Karnataka’s Labour Minister and Congress leader Santosh Lad on Wednesday expressed respect for Rajya Sabha MP and author Sudha Murty’s decision to abstain from the ongoing socio-economic and educational survey being conducted across the state.

“Whatever she has said is her personal expression. It’s her choice, and as a government, we cannot compel anyone to take part in this exercise. The question of who is influential or not is subjective and open to debate. I don’t believe her decision will have any major social consequence. If she has chosen to take this stand, I respect that,” Lad told reporters.

The statement follows Infosys founder Narayana Murthy and Sudha Murty’s refusal to participate in the survey carried out by the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission. When enumerators visited the couple’s residence, they reportedly stated, “We do not belong to any backward community; hence we will not participate in this government survey.” Sudha Murty even signed the survey form to clarify their position.

In a letter to the commission, the couple reiterated that providing personal details would serve no purpose in their case. “We and our family will not participate in the census, and we are confirming it through this letter,” they wrote, making their stance officially clear.

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Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has announced that all government schools in the state will remain closed from October 8 to 18 to allow teachers, who are involved in the survey, to complete their duties efficiently.

Launched on September 22, the survey aims to gather comprehensive data on the social and economic status of nearly seven crore residents of Karnataka. Originally scheduled to conclude on October 7, the exercise has been extended to October 12 for most districts and October 24 for Bengaluru to ensure thorough coverage. (With inputs from ANI)

The Murthys’ decision has sparked widespread discussion about participation in the survey, but officials stress that the exercise continues unabated across the state to provide accurate insights into social and economic demographics.