Revanth Reddy Backs Caste Census, Urges Centre To Form Ministerial Panel; Offers Telangana Model As Blueprint

On Thursday, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy urged the Central government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to form a group of Union ministers and an expert committee of officials to discuss stakeholders and develop a plan for the nationwide caste census. Speaking to the media, Reddy praised the Centre's decision to include caste enumeration in the 2019 general census, describing Telangana's methodology as a scalable and effective framework for the entire country.

Reddy stated that the Telangana caste survey was conducted after thorough consultations with numerous stakeholders, including political parties, civil organisations, and bureaucrats, and that he believes the process can be completed across India in a year based on Telangana's experience. He emphasised that a systematic method, involving a panel of ministers and an expert committee, might aid in the development of census terms of reference following consultations with state governments.

"I have a recommendation for Narendra Modi or the central administration. First, form a group of ministers and an expert committee including officials. This group of ministers and committee members should travel to each state, meet with governments, and gather information in order to develop a thorough plan for the caste census," Reddy stated.

The Chief Minister also underlined Telangana's willingness to fully work with the Centre, offering to share data, experiences, and issues encountered throughout the caste enumeration process. He stated that the state is eager to make a formal proposal in either Hyderabad or New Delhi.

Reddy, quoting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, stated that Telangana's methodology for caste census has already been recognised at the national level. Gandhi supported the Telangana technique during his Bharat Jodo Yatra, advocating it as a model for the national census.

"The Telangana model will be applicable to all states. We're not here to dominate anyone. We have no problem to you learning from us. "We are ready to help," he stated.

The Telangana Congress also conducted a demonstration at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, urging the Central Government to publicly agree to undertake a caste census.

When asked about the timing of the Central government's decision, Reddy declined to speculate on political considerations, but stated that it is critical that Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Backward Classes (BC), and minorities benefit from the conclusion of such an exercise.

He went on to say that the NDA government, which had earlier opposed the caste census, was now forced to take it up owing to "political compulsion." Reddy further stated that because the NDA failed to obtain 400 seats in the previous Lok Sabha elections, it lacked the authority to change the Constitution and repeal quota regulations.

In a different topic, Reddy responded to a proposal by a group of intellectuals calling for a cease-fire and dialogue with Maoists. He stated that his government rejects all forms of violence, whether state or extremist, and believes in discussion as a means of reaching a peaceful resolution. However, he stated that the official position would be determined following conversations with senior Congress leadership.