A significant report detailing a pre-election survey commissioned by the Karnataka government has mysteriously disappeared from the official state portal. The document, which contained findings on public perception of government schemes, was removed shortly after facing sharp criticism from the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The Vanishing Act and Its Immediate Backdrop
The report in question was titled 'Pre-Poll Survey for the Upcoming General Elections to the House of People – 2024'. It was prepared by the Dr. Gopalakrishna Committee and was published on the website of the Karnataka Planning, Programme Monitoring, and Statistics Department. The survey was conducted across all 28 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state between January 29 and February 10, 2024, involving interviews with 58,315 respondents.
Its sudden removal from the public domain occurred just days after BJP leaders, including state president B.Y. Vijayendra and MP Tejasvi Surya, held a press conference on May 15, 2024. They lambasted the report, alleging it was a politically motivated document funded by taxpayer money to boost the image of the ruling Congress party ahead of the elections.
Content of the Controversial Survey
The now-inaccessible report presented a largely favorable view of the state government's performance. Key findings that had been published included:
- High awareness and positive reception of the government's flagship guarantee schemes.
- A significant percentage of respondents expressing trust in the Chief Minister's leadership.
- Data suggesting a potential advantage for the Congress party in the Lok Sabha polls based on state-level schemes.
These conclusions directly contradicted the BJP's narrative and became the basis for their accusation that the Congress was misusing official machinery and public funds for political propaganda.
Reactions and Questions of Transparency
The disappearance of the report has triggered a fresh wave of controversy. Transparency advocates and opposition members are questioning the government's commitment to open data and accountability. Removing a publicly available document, especially one that has become a subject of political debate, is seen by critics as an attempt to avoid scrutiny.
As of now, the Karnataka Planning Department has not issued any official statement explaining why the report was taken down. The lack of clarification has only fueled speculation and allegations of the government trying to bury a contentious document after it backfired politically.
This incident raises critical questions about the use of government resources for surveys that can be perceived as partisan and the subsequent responsibility to maintain transparency, regardless of the findings. The vanishing act has ensured that the report, though no longer on the website, remains firmly in the public discourse, casting a shadow over the state's administrative processes.
