Revanth Reddy Urges Centre to Adopt Telangana Model for Caste Census

Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has urged the central government to follow the Telangana model for conducting the upcoming caste census, calling for a structured and inclusive approach before launching the nationwide exercise.

CM Suggests Formation of Ministerial Group and Expert Committee

Revanth Reddy proposed that the Centre form a group of ministers to visit different states and seek inputs from state governments and stakeholders. He also recommended setting up an expert committee comprising officials and researchers to define the terms of reference for the caste census.

State-Specific Study Crucial for Caste Enumeration

Highlighting the diverse caste compositions across states, Reddy said a one-size-fits-all approach would not work. The expert committee should study each state individually and then prepare a tailored questionnaire for data collection.

Telangana’s Consultative Model Highlighted

Sharing Telangana’s experience, the Chief Minister said the state had already implemented an inclusive process by forming a ministerial group that held consultations with political parties, caste groups, and civil society organizations in every district.

57 Questions Framed for Accurate Data Collection

Based on these consultations, 57 carefully designed questions were created. The state was divided into 95,000 units, with each unit handled by an enumerator who visited 150 households. A supervisor oversaw every 10 enumerators to ensure the process ran smoothly.

96% Coverage Achieved, Toll-Free Number Launched for Remaining

Reddy revealed that 96% of the state’s population was covered during the 60-day exercise. For the remaining 4%, the government introduced a toll-free number to allow missed families to submit their data voluntarily.

“No Controversy, No Litigation” – Telangana Sets the Benchmark

“We have created a strong policy document without any controversy, legal challenges, or political interference,” Reddy said. He urged the Centre to send its expert committee to Telangana to study this model and offered full support from the state government.

Call for PM Modi to Announce Timeline

The Chief Minister appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clearly announce when the caste census would begin and end. He emphasized that collecting data alone is not sufficient—thorough analysis must follow.

Data to Guide Educational and Employment Reforms

Reddy said Telangana has already appointed an expert committee to analyze the collected data and suggest measures to ensure fairness in education and employment based on caste data.

Congress Fulfilled Its Promise Within 15 Months

He thanked Rahul Gandhi for initiating the demand for caste census during the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’. “Rahul Gandhi promised a caste census if Congress came to power in Telangana—and we fulfilled that promise within 15 months,” he said.

Assembly Resolution Passed, Protest Held at Jantar Mantar

Reddy also noted that the Telangana Assembly passed a resolution urging the Centre to conduct a caste census. He added that the Congress party organized a protest at Jantar Mantar, joined by non-NDA parties, to raise this demand at the national level.

“We Don’t Want to Politicize the Issue”

While asserting that the Modi government was compelled to act due to mounting pressure, Revanth Reddy made it clear that the aim was not political point-scoring but ensuring social justice across the country.