New Delhi, July 24 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy said on Thursday that the top leadership of the Congress party has expressed complete backing and commitment to taking all steps to ensure the Telangana model of social justice for OBCs at the national level.
“In a game-changer discussion, Congress's top leadership has expressed complete backing & commitment to taking all steps ensuring the Telangana model of social justice for OBCs at the National level, ” the Chief Minister posted on the social media platform ‘X’, after meeting the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and AICC president, Mallikarjun Kharge, to brief them on the caste survey conducted in the state.
He stated that Telangana’s caste survey, which was first in Independent India, led to the resolve to provide for 42 per cent reservations for OBCs in local body elections.
Revanth Reddy wrote that the government of India will have to accede to their demand. He said the movement would be led by Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge.
“The Congress party, which has a history of bringing historic changes to society through people’s movements, is now resolved to ensure total social justice & empowerment for OBCs, ” he added.
During the meeting held at Kharge’s residence, the Chief Minister explained the modalities and execution of the caste survey.
The Chief Minister explained the process adopted by the state government to collect the data during the Socio-Economic, Education, Employment, Political and Caste (SEEEPC) survey.
Revanth Reddy also told the top Congress leaders that based on the data from the SEEEPC survey, the state passed two Bills to enhance reservation for Backward Classes (BCs) to 42 per cent in education, employment and local bodies.
Both the Bills were sent to the Centre for inclusion in the 9th Schedule of the Constitution. He requested Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge to exert pressure on the BJP-led government at the Centre during the ongoing Parliament session to approve the BC reservation Bills.
AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge posted on ‘X’ that Congress party's Social Justice 2.0 - a new movement for social justice, equity and empowerment of the weaker sections has begun in Telangana.
“Our unwavering fight, spearheaded by Rahul Gandhi for justice, is giving voice to the millions from SC, ST, OBC, and EWS communities who have been sidelined for decades. Despite forming a vast majority of India’s population, these communities are glaringly absent from top corporate boards, the judiciary, bureaucracy, and premier institutions. For instance, even today, there is a Parliamentary answer which says that 80 per cent of the OBC posts for professors and 83 per cent posts for STs lie vacant in Central universities.”
“Our demand was to conduct a nationwide Caste Census and remove the arbitrary 50 per cent cap on reservations. This Govt has accepted to conduct the Caste Survey under huge public pressure, but without removing the cap. But the scientific manner in which Telangana has conducted its survey must be a role model for the entire nation. Based on this groundbreaking socio-economic survey, our Government in Telangana has recommended 42 per cent reservations for OBCs in local body elections and educational institutions. This significant bill is currently awaiting the assent of the Hon'ble President of India, ” Kharge added.
He thanked the Independent Expert Working Group led by former Supreme Court Judge, Justice B Sudarshan Reddy, President, the Chief Minister of Telangana, Deputy Chief Minister, Cabinet Ministers and MPs for this pathbreaking work.
Expert Working Group, AICC in charge for Telangana Meenakshi Natrajan, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud and other senior Congress leaders were also present.
“Telangana has emerged as a role model in scientific caste enumeration. At Kharge Ji’s residence, we presented our methods and stressed the urgency to approve pending reservation bills stuck with the Centre. Congress will fight this battle in Parliament too, ” the TPCC president posted on ‘X’.