
In a significant move, the Telangana Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution urging the Central government to conduct a nationwide socio-economic, employment, political, and caste survey, following the model set by the state. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, who introduced the resolution, emphasized the state government’s commitment to the welfare of backward classes (BCs), scheduled castes (SCs), scheduled tribes (STs), and other marginalised communities.
The resolution also advocates for a national survey to better understand the socio-economic conditions of various castes across India. Reddy stated that the Congress party, through Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, would push the Centre in Parliament to carry out such a survey.
During a special session dedicated to the caste survey and a judicial commission report on SC categorization, Revanth Reddy shared key findings from Telangana’s recent caste survey. According to the survey, 46.25% of Telangana’s total population belongs to the backward classes, making it the largest demographic group in the state. The survey also revealed that the Muslim BC population stands at 10.08%, while the Other Castes (OC) population has decreased from 21% to 15%.
Revanth Reddy reiterated Congress’ pledge to increase BC reservations to 42% in upcoming local body elections, a promise made before the 2023 assembly polls. He argued that the move would require a constitutional amendment due to the 50% cap on quotas.
The opposition party, BRS, staged a walkout, criticizing the survey’s findings as misleading while BJP leaders raised concerns about the categorization of Muslims under BCs. Despite these objections, Revanth Reddy defended the transparency of the survey and assured that the report would be made public once legally cleared, emphasizing that the Congress government has nothing to hide.