Conduct caste census on Telangana model: Congress OBC Council to Centre
The event marked the adoption of the Bengaluru Declaration, a document outlining the Congress' policy roadmap for empowering backward classes and marginalised communities across India.
The committee called for a nationwide caste census to be conducted by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India (ORGI), modelled on Telangana's SEEEP Caste Survey. WhileKarnataka's Kantharaj Commission faced criticism — particularly from Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities — for lacking scientific robustness, the Telangana model has been praised for including extensive socio-economic, educational, and occupational parameters. The Congress leadership emphasised that such a survey must go beyond mere enumeration and function as a tool to address systemic inequalities across communities.
Addressing the media, Siddaramaiah lauded LoP in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi's unwavering commitment to social justice, describing him as a 'justice warrior' whose fearless leadership compelled the Union Government to consider a nationwide caste census.
'Rahul Gandhi's bold and principled stance forced the Manuvadi Modi government to acknowledge the constitutional demand for a caste census,' the Chief Minister said, crediting Rahul for revitalising the national conversation around equity and representation.
The declaration also mentioned relaxation of the 50% cap on reservations to enable appropriate representation for backward classes in education, employment, and politics and implement reservations in private educational institutions as per Article 15(5) of the Constitution.
Siddaramaiah also reaffirmed Karnataka's legacy as the first Indian state to conduct a caste census since 1931, branding it the 'Karnataka Model.' He recalled that the original survey, ordered during his 2015 term, faced delays due to political resistance. In 2018, when the socio-economic and educational survey report was ready, then CM HD Kumaraswamy allegedly instructed his ministers not to accept it, despite extensions granted by the Backward Classes Commission, Siddaramiah said.
'Subsequent BJP-led governments also failed to act on the report. Eventually, a fresh report was submitted under the chairmanship of Jayaprakash Hegde. Now, as per a recent cabinet decision, the commission has been directed to conduct a re-survey within three months,' Siddaramaiah said, adding that the findings will be implemented without delay.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scroll.in
22 minutes ago
- Scroll.in
Congress chief questions Centre on efforts to trace those behind Pahalgam terror attack
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday urged the Union government to provide more clarity about efforts to trace the terrorists responsible for the April 22 Pahalgam attack, and about the government's handling of the subsequent military operation against terror camps in Pakistan. The leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha stated that he had submitted a notice under Rule 267 during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament, requesting a discussion on the matter. 'Till today, the terrorists have not been caught or killed,' Kharge said. 'All parties extended unconditional support to the government on this matter in the interests of the country's strength and unity. The government should inform us about what happened.' The Congress leader noted that Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had acknowledged that the terror attack was a security failure. Kharge further said that the chief of defence staff, the Deputy Army chief, and a senior defence attaché had made certain revelations concerning Operation Sindoor that ought to be clarified. Kharge was referring to their acknowledgments that India incurred losses during the initial phase of the conflict, although the number of aircraft lost has not been disclosed yet. The leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha also said that United States President Donald Trump claimed 24 times that the May 10 ceasefire between India and Pakistan after a four-day conflict took place due to his intervention. 'This is a matter of insult to the country,' Kharge said. मैंने पहलगाम आतंकी हमले और 'ऑपरेशन सिंदूर' के बाद की स्थिति पर नियमों के मुताबिक सदन में नोटिस दिया है। पहलगाम आतंकी हमला 22 अप्रैल को हुआ था और उसे अंजाम देने वाले आतंकी आज तक न पकड़े गए और न मारे गए। पहलगाम में चूक हुई है, इस बात को खुद जम्मू-कश्मीर के LG मनोज सिन्हा ने… — Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) July 21, 2025 Earlier in the day, several opposition leaders invoked Rule 267 of the Rajya Sabha Rules to demand a detailed discussion on the Pahalgam attack and the broader foreign policy implications of Operation Sindoor, India's military operation against terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, ANI reported. In the Lok Sabha, Congress MP KC Venugopal also submitted a notice seeking an adjournment motion to discuss what he described as ' grave security lapses ' and their ramifications on foreign policy. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the media before the Monsoon Session began, said that Operation Sindoor was a symbol of India's growing defence capabilities. 'This Monsoon Session is a celebration of victory,' Modi said. 'The whole world has seen the strength and capability of the Indian armed forces.' The prime minister said: 'The target set by the Indian Army in Operation Sindoor was achieved 100%. Under Operation Sindoor, the houses of the masters of terrorists were razed to the ground within 22 minutes.' Union Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Sunday said that the Centre is ready to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor in Parliament as long as ' certain rules ' and conventions are followed.
NDTV
28 minutes ago
- NDTV
Centre Begins Impeachment Of Justice Yashwant Varma, Caught In Cash-At-Home Row
New Delhi: The impeachment of Justice Yashwant Varma - the ex-Delhi High Court judge at whose home "piles of burnt Rs 500 notes" were found - began Monday afternoon after 145 MPs, from ruling and opposition parties, submitted a memorandum to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Sources said MPs from opposition parties like the Congress and Communist Party of India (Marxist) signed the memorandum, as did those from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies, including the Telugu Desam Party, the Janata Dal United, and Janata Dal Secular. Among the signatories so far are ex-union minister Anurag Thakur from the BJP, the Congress' Rahul Gandhi, and Supriya Sule from the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party faction. The impeachment of a sitting High Court judge - a first for independent India - will now be investigated by Parliament under Articles 124, 217, and 218 of the Constitution, sources said. What Is Impeachment? It is a constitutional mechanism to remove a sitting judge - specifically those from the Supreme Court or a state High Court - from his/her office. Once appointed, judges cannot be removed from office without an order from the President, who, in turn, requires consent from Parliament. NDTV Explains | How Do You Remove A Sitting Judge? Impeachment Explained The Constitution does not actually refer to the word 'impeachment', but the procedure to remove judges is outlined in the Judges Inquiry Act of 1968 and mentioned in two constitutional provisions - Article 124 (for Supreme Court judges) and Article 218 (for those from High Courts). How Is Impeachment Done? An impeachment motion can be introduced in either House of Parliament. At least 50 Rajya Sabha MPs must sign the motion - which is a record of the intention to impeach - for it to proceed further. In the Lok Sabha that number is 100. Visuals from the burnt outhouse on Justice Varma's bungalow grounds. Once that threshold is reached, the Chair of the former or the Speaker of the latter, depending on which House admits the motion, will review the available materials. Centre Confirms Impeachment On Sunday Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju confirmed a large number of MPs - including at least three dozen from the Congress - had signed the memorandum. READ | The government has made it clear it intends to try and remove Justice Varma, who has since been returned to his parent High Court in Allahabad, and stood down from active duty. Justice Varma Cash-At-Home Case The controversy broke on March 15. Firefighters called to the judge's bungalow in central Delhi discovered piles of money that had been burnt by a fire that spread from the main building. Justice Varma has denied any link to the cash, and labelled allegations of impropriety against him and members of his family "preposterous". He has also claimed a 'conspiracy' against him. READ | "Proof Cash Found At Justice Varma's Home": Probe Panel's Findings However, the discovery of the burnt cash triggered a massive row that included questions about corruption in the highest levels of the judicial system. In response the Supreme Court set up an in-house panel that recommended the impeachment of Justice Yashwant Varma. That report was forwarded to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi - by then Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Kumar - with the same recommendation. Among other points, the 64-page document, accessed by NDTV, highlighted the fact that access to the outhouse in which the money was found was maintained by the judge and his family". Justice Varma's Objections Last week Justice Varma approached the Supreme Court to challenge the in-house committee's report. He questioned the jurisdiction and authority of the committee to probe a sitting judge. He argued the committee ignored questions he had raised and that could speak to his innocence, and denied him a fair hearing. He also argued neither the Chief Justice nor the Supreme Court had 'power of superintendence', i.e., they cannot take disciplinary action against High Court judges. No judge in independent India has been impeached, although there have been five it was a possibility. The most recent case was in 2018 and involved ex-Chief Justice of India Deepak Misra, who was accused of administrative misconduct and arbitrary allocation of cases.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
My son's good fortune that Modi-Shah targeting him: Bhupesh Baghel
Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday alleged that the ED action against his son was initiated as the Congress was set to raise the issue of "illegal tree felling" in the state assembly. Days after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Chaitanya Baghel in an alleged liquor scam-linked money laundering case, Bhupesh Baghel met the top Congress leadership at the Parliament House complex here and apprised them of the situation. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Technology Data Science Public Policy Healthcare healthcare Cybersecurity Product Management MBA Data Analytics Degree CXO PGDM Others Finance MCA Data Science Leadership Artificial Intelligence Operations Management Project Management Digital Marketing Design Thinking others Management Skills you'll gain: Duration: 12 Weeks MIT xPRO CERT-MIT XPRO Building AI Prod India Starts on undefined Get Details The senior Congress leader told reporters outside Parliament that he believes that it is his son's "good fortune" that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are against him. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Mountain Gear for Extreme Conditions Trek Kit India Learn More Undo " Modi-Shah can tolerate anything, but they cannot tolerate anything against Adani. Otherwise, the raid that happened on March 10; since then, there was no notice, interrogation. But on his birthday on July 18, the ED arrested him. "The same day, Adani was doing illegal tree felling and we had moved an adjournment motion in the Assembly against it. To ensure this is not discussed, all these actions happened," Baghel claimed. Live Events The former CM said his son is not in politics and is a farmer. "I consider it my son's good fortune that the prime minister and the home minister are against him. No one knew the name of my son. Now the whole country knows it," he said. Baghel said he met Congress parliamentary party chief Sonia Gandhi , Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi and AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra , and apprised them of the situation and the alleged targeting by probe agencies. Chaitanya was taken into custody by the ED on Friday under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) following fresh raids at his residence in Bhilai town of Durg district. The father-son duo reside at the same house. Bhupesh Baghel has alleged that central agencies were being misused to target opposition leaders, but stressed that he trusted the judiciary and would cooperate with them.
