Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has challenged the BJP-led central government to include a caste survey in the upcoming national census. He also dared Union Ministers G Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar to point out any flaws in Telangana’s caste survey data.
Revanth Reddy accused both the BJP and BRS leaders of spreading false propaganda against the caste census to prevent backward classes (BCs) from getting their rightful share in power. He held a meeting with BC leaders at Praja Bhavan, where he alleged that the opposition was criticizing the survey data because they feared BCs would demand greater political representation.
Defending the accuracy of the survey, the Chief Minister stated that the Planning Department conducted the exercise meticulously, deploying a large workforce. He claimed that the opposition parties were deliberately trying to derail BC reservations for their own political gains. He alleged that the BJP was particularly keen on undermining the survey as it could impact the interests of certain powerful castes.
Revanth Reddy also criticized the previous BRS government for failing to disclose details of the Samagra Kutumba Survey (SKS) conducted during its tenure. He claimed that the BRS used the flawed survey data for political benefits rather than for the welfare of the people. Comparing the numbers, he pointed out that while former Chief Minister KCR’s survey showed BCs making up only 51% of the population, the latest caste census found that BCs constituted 56.33%. He questioned BC leaders on whether their population had actually decreased or increased.
In response to Bandi Sanjay’s allegation that Muslims were included in the BC category, Revanth Reddy countered by saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had previously boasted about including 70 Muslim groups in the OBC category in Gujarat. He questioned the BJP’s double standards, asking how Modi could be right in doing so while Telangana’s government was being criticized for the same.
Revanth Reddy’s strong defense of the caste survey signals his government’s commitment to ensuring social justice for backward classes, despite opposition from rival parties.
