Hyderabad: Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar has strongly opposed the inclusion of backward sections among Muslims in the Backward Classes (BC) category as part of the caste survey conducted by the Congress government in Telangana. He argued that such a move would be unfair to the backward classes.
Speaking at a roadshow in Karimnagar, organized in support of BJP candidates for the upcoming MLC elections, Bandi Sanjay criticized the Congress-led government’s decision. He pointed out that Hindu candidates had previously struggled to win in Hyderabad civic polls because backward Muslims were categorized as BCs and granted a four percent reservation under former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s administration in undivided Andhra Pradesh.
He emphasized that not only BJP but even Other Castes have raised objections to the inclusion of Muslims in the BC category.
Bandi Sanjay further claimed discrepancies in population data, stating that the Intensive Household Survey conducted by the previous BRS government had estimated BCs to make up 51 percent of Telangana’s total population. However, the recent caste survey by the Congress government placed the figure at 46 percent, indicating a decline, according to him.
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Meanwhile, Telangana Backward Classes Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar held discussions with BC association leaders regarding the caste survey findings. The survey revealed that backward classes, excluding Muslim minorities, constitute 46.25 percent of Telangana’s total 3.70 crore population.
In terms of demographic distribution, Scheduled Castes account for 17.43 percent, Scheduled Tribes make up 10.45 percent, backward classes among Muslims constitute 10.08 percent, Other Castes stand at 13.31 percent, and OCs among Muslims comprise 2.48 percent.
The Telangana government recently released this demographic data as part of its comprehensive socio-economic, employment, political, and caste survey. This survey, a key election promise of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, was conducted over 50 days starting November 6, 2024.