HYDERABAD: Chief Minister Revanth Reddy lauded Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s vision for a nationwide caste census and credited Telangana for setting the national example by conducting a comprehensive survey that included all social and political stakeholders.
Addressing the media on Thursday, Revanth said Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra echoed the heartbeat of the people, and it was during that journey that Gandhi promised to initiate caste census—a promise Telangana fulfilled first.
“Rahul Gandhi rightly said caste census is like an X-ray of society,” Revanth remarked. He congratulated Gandhi on this occasion and said Telangana’s effort in implementing caste enumeration with 57 questions across 8 pages has become a model for the rest of the country.
The CM said Telangana passed two resolutions in the Assembly: one requesting caste census as part of the national population count, and another urging the removal of the 50% cap on reservations. These were sent to the Centre.
“We even staged a protest at Jantar Mantar with BC associations. It is only due to our consistent pressure that the Prime Minister had to act,” he said, welcoming the Centre’s recent decision to move ahead with caste-based data collection.
Revanth stressed that the process must be transparent and inclusive. “The Centre should declare a timeline for the census and form a political committee and an administrative committee to oversee it,” he demanded.
He reiterated that Telangana’s caste census wasn’t a partisan exercise. “We involved all political parties. It was not a Congress event—it was a people’s initiative. That’s why Telangana stood at the forefront nationally,” he stated.
The CM took a swipe at the BJP, asking why the party failed to conduct a caste census in the states it rules. “They mocked us for caste enumeration, but now their own Prime Minister is following what Rahul Gandhi envisioned,” he said.
He accused state BJP leaders of harbouring envy and frustration. “They criticise us only out of political insecurity. Modi following Telangana’s model bothers them,” he quipped.
Revanth concluded by drawing parallels between Rahul Gandhi and Mahatma Gandhi. “Like Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi doesn’t give up. Just as Japan reveres Gandhi’s statue in Hiroshima for his message of peace, one day, Rahul’s commitment to social justice will be universally embraced.”
