HYDERABAD, February 5: Former minister and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader Srinivas Goud criticised the Congress government and Chief Minister Revanth Reddy for their handling of the caste census.
Addressing the media at Telangana Bhavan, Goud alleged that the introduction of the caste census bill in the Assembly was intended to demean Backward Classes (BCs). He condemned the government’s hasty survey and its conclusion regarding the BC population as deplorable.
Goud questioned how legislators could prepare based on the cabinet note provided and pointed out that there was no cabinet decision or legislative enactment to grant 42% reservations to BCs. He expressed concern over the government’s claim of providing 42% reservations in local elections without a proper legislative framework. He further questioned the motive behind allegedly underreporting the BC population and accused the government of tampering with the survey report.
He raised doubts about how the BC population could decrease in Telangana while increasing nationwide. Goud suggested that the government might be conspiring to create conflicts between BCs and Muslims. He lamented that within a year and a half of coming to power, the Congress had brought Telangana to a standstill.
He warned that, akin to the uprisings in Sri Lanka, people would revolt against Revanth Reddy. He emphasised that those who fought for Telangana’s statehood would not remain silent if the state was being hindered. Goud demanded that BCs be granted reservations similar to the Tamil Nadu model and accused the government of deceiving BCs through the Assembly. He also mentioned that the Supreme Court’s verdict on SC categorisation is being implemented.
