Hyderabad, February 4: The Telangana Assembly approved a resolution on conducting a socio-economic caste census in the state and urged the Centre to implement a similar census nationwide. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy moved the resolution, which was passed after an intense debate.
During the discussion, BRS and BJP members strongly opposed the resolution, accusing the Congress of manipulating caste data. Former Minister K.T. Rama Rao (KTR) claimed that BC population figures had been deliberately reduced compared to the 2014 comprehensive household survey. He asserted that the earlier survey data, available on the government website, showed BCs constituting 51%, with an additional 10% from Muslim BCs, making it 61%. He alleged that the Congress government had reduced this figure by 5%.
In response, CM Revanth Reddy dismissed KTR’s allegations, stating that the 2014 survey was conducted merely for Limca Book of Records and lacked credibility. He criticized BRS for failing to discuss the survey in the Cabinet or present it in the Assembly. Revanth also argued that KTR had no right to speak on the caste census since he was not part of the survey process. Heated exchanges continued, with both leaders accusing each other of political manipulation.
