Caste census resolution passed in Telangana Assembly

BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar presented the resolution in the Assembly and sought the suggestions of members from different parties.

Hyderabad: The Telangana Assembly on Friday passed a resolution to take up a comprehensive door-to-door household socio, economic, educational, employment, political and caste survey.

BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar presented the resolution in the Assembly and sought the suggestions of members from different parties.

---

Cutting across party lines, the BRS, BJP, AIMIM and CPI members demanded that the government present a Bill in the Assembly for the proposed caste survey. They also said that unless the government provided a legal and statutory sanctity for the survey, the plans to ensure socio-economic welfare of the Backward Classes and other weaker sections cannot be achieved.

Welcoming the resolution, BRS MLA Kadiyam Srihari said there was some ambiguity in the resolution and asked whether it was a caste census or population census. There were a few issues like ensuring legal and judicial sanctity that had to be considered before commencing the survey, he said.

BRS MLA Gangula Kamalakar wanted the government to clarify on safeguarding the privacy of individual information collected, specifying the responsible agency – the BC Commission, General Administration Department or the Judicial Commission – to conduct the survey, besides fixing a timeframe for completing the process.

Suggesting similar measures, BJP MLA Payal Shankar asked the government to constitute a commission and then take up the survey. “The government should also mention the measures that will be taken up after the survey,” he said.

Stressing on the legal sanctity for the census, AIMIM Floor Leader Akbaruddin Owaisi wondered why a resolution was being presented in the House for the proposed caste census.

“No resolution was passed before implementing the free bus travel for women scheme. Will the government pass resolutions for implementation of the six guarantees?” Owaisi asked.

Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu said the resolution was presented to seek suggestions from members from different parties on what should be done and not, before making an enactment.

CPI MLA K Sambasiva Rao said an all-party meeting should be convened to discuss the measures on the survey. Mere passing a resolution on the caste census would not suffice and if the government was really committed, a Bill should be introduced in the House, he said.

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said after the survey, a few revolutionary decisions would be taken by the government for the welfare of BC community. “These decisions will be beyond your expectations,” he said.

“Not just BCs, all the castes and minorities will be surveyed. Telangana will set an example to other States in the country,” Bhatti Vikramarka added.