"Am I Responsible Too?": Owaisi Slams Congress Over Bidar's Poverty Index
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi uses Bidar's poverty index and income gap to attack the Karnataka government's welfare record.
In a blistering attack on the Congress-led government in Karnataka, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi has questioned the state's developmental track record. Speaking at a public gathering in Bidar, the Hyderabad MP used official economic data and census reports to highlight the severe backwardness of the region and the Muslim community, turning the tables on his political critics.
The Poverty Gap: Bidar vs Karnataka
Owaisi pointed to a glaring disparity in the Bidar poverty index compared to the rest of the state. According to the figures cited by the AIMIM chief, Bidar's poverty index stands at 11.25, which is significantly higher than the Karnataka state average of 7.58. This gap, he argued, exposes the failure of the ruling dispensation to deliver welfare schemes and developmental allocations to the Kalyana Karnataka belt.
The attack extended beyond poverty to education and earning capacity. Owaisi highlighted the following disparities:
- Literacy Rates: While Karnataka's overall literacy rate is 75 per cent, the rate in Bagdal drops to 65 per cent.
- Per Capita Income: The Karnataka Economic Survey reveals a massive income divide, with the per capita income in Bagdal at Rs 1,75,000, compared to the state average of Rs 3,75,000.
"Am I responsible for this too?" Owaisi challenged his opponents, questioning who should be held accountable for such a stark developmental deficit.
Caste Census and Minority Deprivation
The AIMIM leader further leveraged the findings of the Social, Educational, and Caste Census conducted during Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s previous tenure. He claimed that the government's own report reveals the extreme deprivation faced by the minority community.
Owaisi noted that in terms of livelihood, Muslims rank at 32—the lowest possible position on the index. He revealed that 27 per cent of Muslims fall into this lowest category, asserting that they remain the most backward community in terms of livelihood.
Context of the Clash
These remarks come amidst an intensifying political debate over the implementation and results of the Karnataka Social and Educational Survey and the ongoing struggle for regional development in northern Karnataka.
Census 2027 Update
Parallel to these political developments, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has notified the schedule for the second phase of Census 2027. The population enumeration is set to take place from January 25 to February 28, 2027, with a revisional round from March 1 to 5.
The MHA noted that the exercise will cover all States and Union Territories except for Manipur (until further notice), Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Ladakh, and specific snow-bound areas of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Citizens will also have the option for self-enumeration between January 10 and 24, 2027.