Cong in T’gana demands Centre to take up OBC census as part of decennial census

PTI Hyderabad: The ruling Congress in Telangana, at a meeting attended by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and other leaders on Wednesday, passed a resolution demanding that the Centre undertake OBC caste census as part of the decennial census proposed to be conducted next year. Speaking to reporters, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president B Mahesh Kumar Goud said the meeting was held to discuss the comprehensive socio, educational, economic, employment, political and caste survey taken up by the state government. “The TPCC took note of Government of India’s decision to take up decennial census in 2025. TPCC resolved to demand Govt of India to take up OBC caste census as part of the upcoming decennial census. Orders to this effect should be issued by Government of India immediately,” he said, quoting the resolution.

While the SC, ST census would be conducted as part of the decennial census, OBC caste census should also be held, it said. CM Revanth Reddy stated that a resolution on the issue would be sent to the Centre on behalf of the state government. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, during his ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, had favoured caste census in the country and determination of share in resources proportionate to population. Goud hailed the Congress government for taking up caste survey in the state. The PCC president said Rahul Gandhi responded positively when he had recently invited him to attend a meeting on caste survey which would be attended by representatives of civil society, social groups and intellectuals.

He said the District Congress Committees would hold meetings in all districts in the state on November 2 to elicit the views of various groups, including caste associations, intellectuals and students along with Congress leaders. Speaking at the meeting, Congress sources quoted Revanth Reddy as saying that the state government would send a document on how the caste survey was conducted to the Centre for considering it in the census to be taken up.

Rahul Gandhi had assured conducting socio, economic, political, caste census before the assembly elections last year and that upholding the former’s word is the responsibility of Congress leaders in the state, he said.