Hyderabad: Hailing the Union government for taking a decision to conduct the caste enumeration along with the next census, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday urged the Centre to follow the Telangana government’s model for the much-required caste count. The CM suggested to the Modi government to set up a Group of Ministers and a committee of experts to hold discussions with all stakeholders across the states.

Addressing a press conference here at his residence, Revanth Reddy said the Congress government in the state had shown a way to the Centre in the caste census. “I am not seeing this as a political issue. We thank Modiji for taking the decision and we want to give candid suggestions on the issue to the Centre,” the Chief Minister said. Pointing out challenges in conducting the caste census across India, the CM said that a few castes have different reservation status in different states.

We will come know the challenges only when the Central government starts discussions with all stakeholders, he said.

Explaining about the caste survey in the state, the CM said: “We had an official dialogue, involving stakeholders, civil society, and sent a group of ministers to talk to them. We prepared 57 questions in eight pages. These questions were not prepared by officials, but they came from the people. We also made a data privacy act,” said Revanth Reddy.

Stating that the officials in the state can assist the Centre by providing all the details related to the caste census, he further said that for the purpose of the survey, Telangana was divided into 95,000 units. As many as 95,000 enumerators were appointed and each one was given a target of 150 houses. He recalled that the process was reviewed periodically and everyone right from enumerators to the Chief Secretary were involved in the review process.

“We carried out the survey in a systematic manner. We have made a very good policy document.

"The Telangana model will be helpful to any state. We don't have any objection if the Centre accepts our model,” said Revanth Reddy.

The Chief Minister said that the responsibility of carrying out caste census lies with the Prime Minister. He recalled that the Manmohan Singh government had started the process in 2010, but the BJP government did not take it forward for the last 11 years. The Centre should disclose by what time they would begin the census and let the states know how it was going to solve the challenges during the enumeration process.

Revanth Reddy further said that Rahul Gandhi had promised caste census during Bharat Jodo Yatra and consistently raised the issue. We carried out caste survey scientifically and even organised a dharna in New Delhi, demanding caste census across the country. This has put pressure on the Central government to go for caste census, he claimed.

The Central government had taken this decision with compulsion as the BJP opposed caste census in the past when Rajnath Singh gave an affidavit in the Supreme Court against it. The Centre has come forward because of pressure from our party, he added. Referring to Union Ministers G Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay as ‘Bachhas’ playing on the streets, Revanth Reddy said that they don't know what Modi was thinking and doing. These are all small people and gully leaders. He also said that the Supreme Court did not say reservation should be limited to 50 per cent. Economically weaker sections (EWS) were given 10 per cent quota, which has increased total reservations to more than 50 per cent, he said. Replying to a question, the CM said that if the BJP had got 400 seats, the existing reservations would have gone.