Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Friday hit back at Infosys founder N.R. Narayana Murthy and author Sudha Murty for refusing to participate in the ongoing caste census, saying the exercise was not limited to backward communities.

“Just because they’re Infosys, do they know it all?” Siddaramaiah said while addressing reporters.

“That is left to them. This is not a backward classes survey. If they haven’t understood, what can I do? We have said 20 times—this is not a backward classes survey. This is an entire population survey,” he added.

According to officials in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), enumerators who visited the Murthys’ home in Bengaluru a few days ago were told, “We don’t want the survey conducted at our home.”

Sources said Sudha Murty signed a self-declaration letter refusing to provide information under the pro forma issued by the Karnataka state backward classes commission for the social and educational survey 2025.

The form read: “Due to some of my personal reasons, I am refusing to provide information in the social and educational survey being conducted by the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission.”

Sudha Murty reportedly wrote in Kannada: “We do not belong to any backward community. Hence, we will not participate in a government-conducted survey meant for such groups.”

Backward classes welfare minister Shivaraj Tangadagi criticised the couple’s move, saying, “This shows their concern for the welfare of backward classes.”

Former Infosys CEO T.V. Mohandas Pai also criticised the survey on Thursday, saying, “In Karnataka, ministers are more bothered about caste, caste surveys, appeasement, not growth, development, good jobs, or technology. They are taking the state backwards, borrowing money for freebies.”

Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, however, struck a conciliatory tone, stating, “We don’t force anybody to participate in the survey. It’s on a volunteer basis.”

The chief minister, who himself was enumerated on Thursday, called the survey a “scientific effort” aimed at identifying social and educational disparities.

“I have successfully fulfilled my duty by providing information to the staff who visited my house for the social and educational survey conducted by our government through the Backward Classes Commission,” Siddaramaiah posted on X.

He added, “Our government has undertaken this survey with the aim of eliminating inequality and poverty and building an equal society. Everyone should participate in this survey and give their information honestly. Only then will accurate data be obtained about the real situation of the society.”

Assuring citizens that their data would remain confidential, he said, “By providing information in the survey, your personal information will definitely not be misused. Stop worrying and share the information with the staff.”

The survey, conducted by the Karnataka state commission for backward classes, began on September 22 and was initially scheduled to end on October 7.

The government later extended the deadline to October 18, citing the scale of the task.

In Bengaluru, about 15.42 lakh households have been covered so far, though officials have not yet revealed how many refused to participate.

The exercise, part of the ongoing Social and Educational Survey, involves 60 main questions and 20 sub-questions designed by the commission. The project, initially estimated to cost Rs 420 crore, has relied heavily on teachers and local officials for data collection.

Deputy chief minister Shivakumar had earlier expressed discomfort with some of the personal questions in the form.

During his own enumeration, he was heard telling officials he would not answer certain queries, including those about the jewellery he owned.

“I have instructed the officers not to ask questions about how many chickens, sheep, gold items, watches, or other personal possessions people have,” he said. “Let’s see how they conduct the survey. There is no reason for anyone to object.”

Siddaramaiah, however, remained firm that the survey was a necessary step toward equality and inclusive governance. “We have clarified many times, even after that Sudha and Narayan Murthy think it is a backward classes survey. It is wrong,” he said. “The central government is also conducting a survey. What will they do? They might have wrong information.”