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Indian Express
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
AICC OBC dept head: ‘There will be a radical change in Congress tickets for OBCs in Bihar, TN, UP polls'
About one-and-a-half years before he formally returned to the Congress in February 2025, Dr Anil Jaihind, 67, started working with Rahul Gandhi. Jaihind was the chairman of the Delhi Congress's Doctors Cell in 1992, when he quit the party to join the Janata Dal. He even contested, unsuccessfully, the 1993 Delhi Assembly elections on the Janata Dal's ticket. He quit politics in 1998 and turned into a social activist, going on to join Rahul's team in 2023. In April 2025, he was appointed the chairman of the All India Congress Committee (AICC)'s Other Backward Classes (OBC) department. In an interview with The Indian Express, Jaihind speaks on a gamut of issues related to the Congress's OBC outreach and its roadmap for social justice. Excerpts: Rahul Gandhi recently said that the Congress has 'fallen short' in understanding and addressing the OBC issues, adding that many party leaders may disagree with him. Do you agree with him? One way or the other, there have been two kinds of weaknesses in the party. First, full attention was not given to OBC issues. Secondly, whatever works we did in the interest of OBCs, we did not publicise it. Congress worked with the idea of 'neki kar, kuye me dal' (do good deeds and forget about them). We never made events out of everything, advertising them and seeking applause. The biggest work that Congress did for OBCs in recent years was ensuring reservation in higher education that Manmohan Singh and Arjun Singh provided (during the UPA government) on the directive of Sonia Gandhi ji – that was the biggest work for the OBCs, I believe. I have been an OBC activist since 1978, I came in contact with B P Mandal when he was an MP. Later he became the Mandal Commission chairman. Reservation in jobs started in 1990 when V P Singh was Prime Minister, which benefited people. Those children who because of reservation in education got admission in Delhi University, IITs and IIMs, they are now joining MNCs. There is a sea change and that is only because of education quota. And, the Socio-Economic, Educational, Employment, Political and Caste Survey (SEEEPC) done in Telangana has also found that education, and that too in English, will help in progress everywhere…. This was the work Congress did, which we could not encash. The Congress is the country's oldest party with a cadre and a dedicated OBC department. Still, why could the party not understand the OBC issues as admitted by Rahul? I rejoined the Congress in February this year. Earlier, I was working with Rahul Gandhi ji as a social activist for over one-and-a-half years. I proposed that Rahul ji should directly address social activists. Then we held the first such programme – Samvidhan Suraksha Sammelan – in Lucknow on May 10, 2024, which had a major impact on the Lok Sabha polls in UP. You should check the winning strike rate of the INDIA bloc in UP in polling that happened after May 10. Even Akhilesh Yadav (SP president) told Rahul Gandhi that his Samvidhan-related programmes made a major impact. Otherwise, Mulayam Singh Yadav had never won 37 Lok Sabha seats in UP despite being such a tall leader. In UP and Bihar, Yadavs, a major OBC group, support the INDIA parties SP and RJD, while other OBC castes back other parties. Is the Congress aiming to become a party of all OBC groups? Rahul ji has strictly asked us to follow 'gathbandhan dharma' (coalition dharma). That is why we do not indulge in poaching, which means if a leader from our any allies gets upset because of not getting a position or ticket in his party and approaches us, we don't encourage that, we follow alliance dharma. Congress has done a lot of work among EBCs (Extremely Backward Classes) in Bihar in the past six months. EBCs were earlier associated with Nitish Kumar [Bihar CM and JD(U) chief] to a great extent and had some problems in connecting with RJD. Rahul is hugely concerned about EBCs. Tremendous work is being done in Bihar, which is giving results too. How do you plan to reach out to the OBCs? Currently, the tallest leader of the social justice movement is Rahul Gandhi. You can ask BJP leaders too about it. He is popular among OBCs as a 'nyay yoddha' (justice warrior) because he speaks for their justice. EBCs have very high expectations from Rahul ji. Has the party firmed up its OBC roadmap? The first thing is caste survey. To be very frank, so far our party has not publicised it keenly. People generally understand caste census as counting of castes only. In the caste census done in Telangana, study has been done on an individual's participation in five dimensions – social, economic, employment, educational and political. A set of 54 questions were put to every individual. Then an expert committee was constituted under Justice (Supreme Court retired judge) Sudarshan Reddy to analyse it. AI has been used in analysis. This Telangana caste survey is a tsunami. You will need your government in other states to replicate the Telangana model. Till then, how will Congress take up the issue? A movement will soon be created. Last year, PM Modi had called those advocating caste census 'urban naxal' mindset. On July 29, 2024, Rahul ji had said in Parliament, 'Whether you like it or not, we will get the caste census done in the current Lok Sabha by your (NDA) government.' Then people were surprised. But after public pressure built up over the next nine months, the government announced the caste census. Rahul ji got this done by the NDA government and without Congress being in power. Now the issue is whether the caste census will be done on Telangana model or on the 1931 British model. Rahul ji calls it an MRI, used to find the disease inside the body, which is different from a photograph that cannot do it. Similarly, if only castes will be counted in the census, like the population of Kurmi, Jat, Yadav, Gujar, Brahmin, it would be like a photograph. So, if MRI has to be done to find the problem, then the Telangana model should be followed. Will it be done in Bihar if Mahagathbandhan comes to power there? 100 per cent, and it will be done on the Telangana model. Does the Congress see caste census as the best solution, or more would be done for the OBCs? No, this is not the solution. Our ultimate goal is not just getting caste census done. A doctor cannot treat a patient without proper diagnosis. There are 215 castes in Telangana and every caste has a different problem. One caste is well-off economically, but lags in education, which needs to be fixed. Some castes face social discrimination. Every caste has a specific problem, so customised treatment will be required for it. In recent appointments in the organisation, OBCs have been given adequate and proportionate participation. Will this participation be also reflected in the Congress' ticket distribution in coming polls in Bihar, Tamil Nadu and UP? There will be a radical change… Kunal Choudhary, who belongs to MBC, has been included in the Bihar election screening committee. In Bihar, the party has also set up a separate EBC department along with the OBC department. Also, the party has formed an Advisory Council of its 24 top OBC leaders, which recently held its meeting in Bengaluru.
New Indian Express
26-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Telangana plans to implement focused welfare schemes for the underprivileged
HYDERABAD: Equipped with data from the Socio, Economic, Educational, Employment, Political and Caste Survey, the Telangana government is now planning to implement focused welfare schemes, particularly for communities that have largely remained underprivileged. Speaking to TNIE, sources revealed that caste-wise data on state government employees is also being collected to identify which communities have been underrepresented in government jobs. In March this year, the state government constituted an expert committee to conduct a detailed analysis of the data collected from the recently concluded caste survey with an objective of formulating inclusive and evidence-based policies for the welfare of all communities in the state. The government also plans to ease the work of those practising various caste-based occupations like dhobi, carpentry and pottery by providing latest technology-enabled machinery. Recently, the Telangana government announced wage incentives for handloom weavers under the Telangana Nethannaku Bharosa (assurance to weavers) scheme. A budget of Rs 48 crore was released for the initiative. Sources revealed that more such schemes are in the pipeline. The Telangana government passed two legislations — the Telangana Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions and of Appointments or Posts in Services under the State) Bill, 2025 and the Telangana Backward Classes (Reservation of Seats in Rural and Urban Local Bodies) Bill, 2025 — in the Assembly on March 17, 2025. As these two Bills remain under scrutiny by the Union Home Ministry, the state government has sent The Telangana Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Ordinance to Governor Jishnu Dev Varma. This ordinance aims to facilitate the enhancement of 42% reservations for BCs in local body elections. It is learnt that the Governor has sought the opinion of the Attorney General of India on the proposed Bill. Meanwhile, the Cabinet meeting, scheduled for Friday, was postponed as the Governor's nod for the Telangana Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Ordinance is still awaited. It appears that the government is firm on issuing 42% reservations to BCs in the local body elections, based on the caste survey data.
New Indian Express
26-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Telangana's caste survey cutting-edge: Rahul Gandhi
HYDERABAD: Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday praised the Telangana government for conducting a comprehensive caste-based socio-economic survey, describing it as a model for data-driven governance. Speaking at the Congress OBC Leadership - Bhagidari Nyay Mahasammelan in New Delhi, Rahul called the Socio-Economic, Educational, Employment, Political and Caste Survey a 'cutting-edge tool of empowerment in the digital age'. He said the detailed data collected would allow Telangana to design targeted welfare and development policies, claiming that no other state currently matches its governance capacity. 'No other state in India today has the ability to target development the way Telangana has,' he told an audience of OBC leaders and Congress workers. In a social media post later in the day, Rahul connected the survey to the Congress's role in the creation of Telangana. He wrote: 'Sonia ji's fight to create the state of Telangana cemented our emotional connection to the people, the language, and the culture of this beautiful state. I am filled with immense pride as I witness the efforts of the Congress government in conducting the caste survey. Their commitment to a sincere, inclusive and consultative process has set a new benchmark, one that should guide future Census exercises across the country.' The former AICC president described the survey as laying the foundation for what he termed 'Social Justice 2.0', a framework for equitable governance based on data. 'This is how India must move forward,' he said.
New Indian Express
26-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Caste survey is Congress' promise to BCs, not just policy: Minister Ponnam at Delhi event
HYDERABAD: Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar on Friday said that the caste survey conducted by the Telangana government was 'a moral and political commitment', driven by the Congress' vision for social justice. Comparing it with India's freedom movement, he said that Telangana's Socio, Economic, Educational, Employment, Political and Caste Survey would spark a social revolution that will benefit Backward Classes across the country. 'Rahul Gandhi has made a solemn vow to bring justice to the underprivileged, and he's doing it with clarity and conviction,' he stated. Prabhakar, along with ministers Konda Surekha and Vakiti Sridhar, attended the Bhagidari Nyay Sammelan in Delhi. Later addressing the media, Prabhakar reiterated that Congress wouldn't have come to power without Rahul Gandhi's promise of conducting a caste survey. 'We have fulfilled Rahul's promise after coming to power,' he said. The minister accused the BJP and Union Minister G Kishan Reddy of attempting to undermine the historic opportunity for providing 42% reservations to BCs. 'It is not just a legislation. It is the fulfilment of a decades-old aspiration of the marginalised,' said Prabhakar, condemning what he called BJP's 'feudal mindset' and 'anti-reservation rhetoric.' He accused the BJP of hypocrisy, claiming to support BCs while sidelining the community leaders like Bandi Sanjay and promoting individuals who had historically opposed reservations. 'When Telangana BJP claims to support BCs, why has it never even appointed a BC as Leader of the Opposition?' he asked. The minister emphasised that the caste survey was supported unanimously in the Assembly. 'The BJP too supported it. Now, the same party is casting aspersions,' he said. Prabhakar also said that the BJP's record on BC welfare in states like Gujarat and alliances in other states shows a lack of genuine commitment. Stating that the Congress government acted with honesty from the Kamareddy Declaration to the legislation on February 4, he said that any attempt to derail this process will be met with democratic resistance.
The Hindu
25-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Telangana caste survey draws praise of Congress top leadership
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and his cabinet colleagues, including the State Congress leader,s are buoyed by the massive positive response they received after making a presentation on the Social, Economic, Educational, Employment, Political and Caste Survey conducted by the Telangana Government, which is aimed at enactment of 42% quota to BCs in education, employment and political opportunities. Mr. Reddy pointed out that the Telangana caste survey is a role model for the country and coined a new term for Social, Economic, Educational, Employment, Political Caste Survey calling it a 'RARE' Survey (Rahul-Revanth survey). Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka made a power point presentation to the Congress MPs at a programme in New Delhi on Wednesday (July 24, 2025) evening. The Chief Minister said that a letter from Ms. Sonia Gandhi appreciating the socio-economic survey in Telangana was like a Nobel Prize and Lifetime Achievement Award. He claimed that he had fulfilled Rahul Gandhi's promise in the Telangana State given by Sonia Gandhi. Mr. Reddy expressed gratitude to Mr. Rahul Gandhi for praising him and his team, including the Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka for performing exceedingly well. Mr. Gandhi has described the survey conducted by the Telangana government as a milestone. 'The caste census is not an easy subject, and thought of it as difficult for CM Revanth Reddy,' the Congress leader said. He also had a hunch the Chief Minister's community might not have agreed to the survey, but Revanth Reddy conducted the survey with enthusiasm and efficiency. He praised the government for conducting the survey not from closed administrative rooms, but lakhs of Telangana people from all social classes opened their doors and participated in this survey. The Telangana government possessed an important social, economic, educational, employment, political and caste survey data which required for the 21st century. With this data, development in any field, social, economic, educational, health, etc., can be achieved from the village to the State level. He proudly says that no other state in the country except Telangana has the opportunity to provide such targeted development, Mr. Gandhi remarked. The AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge too praised the Telangana Government for successfully conducting the Caste Survey which set a new direction for the country. Kharge described the caste survey as a bold step taken by Chief Minister. He also praised Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi for promoting the caste census in Telangana and fulfilling the promise made during the Bharat Jodo Yatra. 'Rahul was responsible for not only raising the issue of caste census, but also saving the Constitution with the slogan 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan'. Prime Minister Modi agreed to conduct a caste census along with the Population Census under the pressure from Rahul Gandhi,' the AICC President said.
