Centre’s caste census will take over caste surveys: Telangana CM
Telangana Backward Classes Commission chairman G Niranjan said once the Centre conducts the caste census, it would make the latest survey conducted by the state government redundant
Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday said that once the central government undertakes the caste census, along with population census, it will prevail over the caste surveys conducted by Telangana and other states.
“Hitherto, there was no scientific data of the other backward classes in the state. So, our government undertook a massive exercise of conducting social, economic, education, employment and political caste surveys. Now that the Centre has decided to conduct the caste census along with the general census, it will become final,” Revanth told reporters at a press conference.
Telangana Backward Classes Commission chairman G Niranjan said once the Centre conducts the caste census, it would make the latest survey conducted by the state government redundant and the entire exercise conducted by the state government would go waste.
“The state government has spent over ₹150 crore over the caste survey covering more than 11.21 million families and 36 million people by engaging approximately 103,889 enumerators and supervisors. They went door to door and collected information and the data was compiled and analysed in a scientific manner,” he said.
As per the caste survey conducted by the state government, OBCs account for 56.36% of the total population, including 10.08% of Muslims. Accordingly, two bills were passed in the state assembly on March 17, finalising 42% reservation for BCs in political, educational and employment fields. “Currently, the bills are awaiting the approval of the central government to become law. Elections to local bodies including gram panchayats, mandal and zilla parishads have not been held since January 2024 with the intention of implementing 42% reservations in local body elections for which central approval is needed,” the chairman said.
He further said that the commission asked the state government to represent to the Centre to consider Telangana as a special case and take steps to include the OBC percentage in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution, so that reservations could be implemented in the state.
“As per the information, it would take at least two years for the Centre to complete the caste census. So, we may have to wait till then to implement the OBC quota in Telangana. Hence, we want the Centre to take up the Constitutional amendment exclusively for Telangana to implement the quota as per the latest caste survey,” Niranjan said.
Meanwhile, Revanth said there would be not much difference between the latest caste survey done by the state government and the proposed caste census of the Centre at least in Telangana. “We have done the survey in the most scientific manner. Why will people share false information with the Centre and the state separately? They might have shared false information pertaining to assets and liabilities but regarding caste details, they will not,” the chief minister said.
Welcoming the Union cabinet decision on caste enumeration, Revanth Reddy suggested that the central government constituted a group of ministers along with an expert committee of officials to hold to engage with stakeholders and others regarding the caste census.
He said that the Centre could adopt the Telangana model across the country in the conduct of caste census. He also recommended that the central government hold discussions with all political parties and civil society organisations before initiating the caste census, and ensure the process is guided by clear timelines.
“It is a government exercise, not a political one. The Centre should take all the state governments and all political parties into confidence and collaborate with them to take up the caste census,” Revanth Reddy said, adding that his state government was prepared to share its findings and experiences with the Centre and it could give a presentation either in Hyderabad or Delhi.
He said before commencing the task, a comprehensive study should be conducted across the country as there were different caste equations in different states. For instance, the Boya community in Telangana was considered as an OBC but in Karnataka it was categorized as tribal. Similarly, Lambadas were categorised as tribals in Telangana, but in Maharashtra they were OBCs, he said.
“Prepare Terms of Reference and finalise the process. We demand Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make a clear announcement on when the caste census will be started and by when it would be completed,” Revanth Reddy said, adding that the entire exercise should be done in one year.
Meanwhile, Telangana BJP president and Union coal minister G Kishan Reddy the caste surveys conducted in Telangana and Karnataka were unscientific and lacked sincerity. “The survey done by Telangana is not a caste census; it is just a survey related to castes. To conduct a proper caste census, several policy decisions must be taken. Claiming to have completed the entire survey without even covering 50% of the population is laughable,” he said.
He said it was only during the official census that a proper caste enumeration could be done. “This time, we are undertaking a structured census, and as part of that, a caste enumeration will also be carried out,” he said.
Kishan Reddy said in 2010 itself, the BJP had given its consent for a caste census. “A caste census happens once every ten years, in the first year of the decade. Since the BJP came to power, the census is happening for the first time now — and so will the caste census. Rahul Gandhi must explain why the Congress never conducted a caste census,” he demanded.
