Telangana Assembly passes resolution asking Centre to conduct nationwide caste survey
Hyderabad, Feb 4 (PTI): The Telangana Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution on Tuesday, urging the Centre to emulate the household caste and socioeconomic survey conducted by the state government.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy moved the resolution assuring that the state government is committed to the development of Backward Classes, SCs and STs and other marginal sections.
Earlier during a debate on a statement made by the CM on the salient points of the survey, Revanth Reddy informed the house that the Congress party will put pressure to conduct the survey nationwide, on the Centre through the Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi by raising it in the Parliament.
Reddy said, as assured by Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party, the survey was conducted, and that too within one year of time.
Observing that a constitutional amendment is required to provide 42 per cent reservations to Backward Classes as per law (which leads to breaching the 50 per cent cap on quotas), Reddy said the Congress would provide a 42 per cent quota for Backward Classes in the upcoming local body elections in the state.
Before the 2023 assembly polls, the Congress had promised to increase the backward class reservations in local bodies to 42 per cent.
Earlier, Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar adjourned the House till 2 pm, after the government requested the presiding officer, citing an incomplete cabinet meeting.
Soon after the session began, Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu informed the Speaker that the cabinet meeting was still going and it would take some more time to prepare the minutes of the meeting.
The state cabinet met on Tuesday morning to deliberate on the caste survey conducted in the state, before presenting it to the Assembly for discussion.
However, the BRS legislators found fault with the treasury benches, alleging that the government’s acts amounted to "insulting" the House.
Former Minister and senior BRS senior leader Prashanth Reddy said it is surprising that the House was adjourned without taking up any business.
"It has never happened in history. The situation is nothing but insulting the members and the House," Reddy said.
He said the government had informed that the cabinet meeting would be held at 10 am and the session would commence at 11 am.
The state planning department, which conducted the caste survey, submitted its report to the cabinet sub-committee headed by Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on February 2.
According to the caste survey, Backward Classes, excluding Muslim minorities, form the largest group, constituting 46.25 per cent of Telangana’s total 3.70 crore population.
The BC population is followed by Scheduled Castes at 17.43 per cent, Scheduled Tribes at 10.45 per cent, Backward Classes among Muslims at 10.08 per cent, Other Castes at 13.31 per cent, and OCs among Muslims at 2.48 per cent.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
