Amid BC quota unrest, Revanth Reddy sticks to caste census claims

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy avoided addressing BC organisations’ demand for 42 per cent reservations, instead highlighting Telangana’s caste census and development works. He reviewed the Narayanpet-Kodangal project, promised faster execution, and accused the previous regime of leaving massive debt

Narayanpet: As BC organisations intensified protests against the Congress government for failing to extend 42 per cent reservations, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy chose silence on the demand and instead said Telangana was the first State to conduct a caste census, asserting that BCs constituted 56 per cent of the population.

Amid objections from some sections over SC categorisation, he claimed the long-pending issue had finally been resolved and that differences between the Mala and Madiga communities were “permanently fixed”.

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Ahead of his public meeting on Monday, the Chief Minister laid foundation stones and inaugurated several works in Makthal, Jogulamba Gadwal, Atmakur and Amarchinta. Addressing the gathering, he accused the previous government of neglecting the Narayanpet-Kodangal project, saying the Congress government revived it and cleared permissions, only for what he termed conspiracies and court cases to delay it by nearly 18 months.

He said the government had agreed to pay Rs.20 lakh per acre after farmers demanded over Rs.14 lakh, adding that 96 per cent had consented to part with their land for the Rs.5,000-crore project. He promised that works would begin soon and said that if any contractor or official failed to work round the clock and finish the project in two years, the youth should “thrash them”.

Reddy said the government was also focusing on education in erstwhile Palamuru, announcing that a Young India Integrated Residential School would be established in every constituency.

Claiming that obstacles to development would continue, he said a single vote for Congress had ensured funds for major projects and welfare schemes. He accused the previous regime of leaving behind Rs.8 lakh crore debt and urged people not to elect those who obstruct development.