Assembly adopts caste census resolution

Hyderabad: Even as there was demand from the opposition to provide legality to the caste census, the Telangana Assembly on Friday adopted a unanimous resolution to take up a comprehensive door-to-door household survey of socio economic, educational, employment, political and caste survey (Kula Ganana) of the entire state for the amelioration of Backward Classes, SC and ST citizens of the State.

The government turned down the demand of the opposition parties who wanted the bill to give legality to the survey. Speaking on the resolution, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said that the aim of the government was to strengthen the weaker sections.

He said that the Congress party stands for the uplift of weaker sections and the Sachar Committee was formed by the UPA government. He wanted the opposition members to give suggestions so that they can be implemented. He recalled that during the previous regime, the government took up the Samagra Kutumba Survey but never discussed it in the House and neither was it put in public domain.

Revanth Reddy further said that after 1931, it was again in 2011 the UPA government took up the issue. On the BRS leaders demand for discussion on the manifesto, Revanth Reddy asked the main opposition leaders to seek permission from their leader adding that if their leader says no, the opposition members will not be in the House. BRS members KT Rama Rao and Kadiyam Srihari said that the Sachar committee came from Judiciary hence it has got sanctity whereas the survey by the government had no legality. Either there should be legality or should be taken up by a judge otherwise it will remain as a political slogan.

Another BRS member Gangula Kamalakar said that the three states which took up the survey were facing legal problems. He said a resolution will not work and the government should bring a bill in the House. He also wanted to know as to who would be conducting the survey. BJP member Payal Shankar said that the four per cent reservations to Muslims resulted in injustice to BCs as they had to face cuts in the reservation.

He also said that there will be legal hurdles with the survey. He stressed on the need to have a law to protect BCs from atrocities.

Recalling that the earlier government had conducted the Samagra Kutumba Survey, AIMIM member Akbaruddin Owaisi said that the survey report should be placed on the table. He said that the government can give reservations only if the survey is done by a commission.

Deputy CM M Bhatti Vikramarka said that they would take up the exercise by consulting the Law department.