Revanth to Centre: Form GoM, expert panel for caste census

Time of India

01-05-2025

Hyderabad: Chief minister A
Revanth Reddy
has urged the Centre to constitute a
Group of Ministers
(GoM) and an experts committee for
caste census
across the country. He also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to set a clear timeframe to complete the exercise, preferably within a year.
Welcoming the Centre's decision to include caste data in the next census, Revanth thanked the PM and emphasised that the
Telangana
govt was ready to cooperate, offering insights from its own caste survey without seeking political mileage. He said Telangana has become a role model in conducting such surveys.
"The GoM and experts committee should be constituted separately to visit various states and hold consultations with political parties, stakeholders, and civil society on the caste census," Revanth said at a press conference at his Jubilee Hills residence on Thursday.
He explained that Telangana's GoM and experts committee had visited every district, interacted with stakeholders, and collected representations from the public during its caste survey.
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Cost Of Amusement Park Equipment From Mexico Might Surprise You - See Tips
Amusement Park Equipment | search ads
Click Here
Undo
Highlighting regional variations in caste classification, the CM said the experts committee must consider state-wise differences. "For instance, the Boya community is classified as OBC in Telangana but as ST in Karnataka. Similarly, Lambadas are tribals in Telangana but considered OBC in Maharashtra. There needs to be a consensus on these differences," he said.
When asked if the Centre's move was politically motivated, particularly in light of the Bihar elections, Revanth refrained from making direct allegations. "I do not want to get into political accusations, especially when the move benefits people. But it's clear that the BJP govt was compelled to act," he said.
He credited Rahul Gandhi for initiating the talk around caste census, asserting that the Congress leader promised a caste survey in Telangana and fulfilled the promise. "The credit goes to Rahul Gandhi," he added.
The CM said the state govt has already submitted its report to the Centre. "If needed, an official delegation is ready to go to Delhi to make a Power-Point presentation," he said.
On whether the Centre's caste census data would override Telangana's findings, Revanth clarified, "Central data prevails. However, Telangana's survey was carried out systematically and scientifically, with a GoM and experts committee guiding the process."
He detailed the scale of the Telangana survey stating that 57 questions, spanning eight pages, were asked, with 95,000 enumerators covering every household in the state within 90 days. The process was supervised by top govt officials and the state-level GoM. "Telangana has shown the way. This is a historic exercise pending for nearly 100 years," the CM claimed.
Commenting on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Revanth claimed that the Congress had warned the public about the BJP's alleged intent to remove reservations and alter the Constitution. "The people didn't give the BJP a clear majority. With only 240 seats, their plans have been stalled," he said.
He also questioned why BJP-ruled states undertook caste surveys if the BJP opposed them. "The BJP has been in power for 11 years and governs 16–17 states. Why were caste surveys conducted only recently," he wondered.
Revanth said the BJP, despite its initial opposition, had been forced to support caste census due to Congress's pressure. He recalled the Congress-led protest at Jantar Mantar, where leaders from most parties participated, except the NDA allies.
Regarding the stalling of 'Operation Kagar' in Chhattisgarh, the CM said: "There is no place for violence in a civilised society. The party believes in dialogue with Maoists, and a policy decision will be taken soon."