Controversy Erupts Over Caste Survey in Telangana

Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar criticized the inclusion of backward Muslim sections in Telangana's BC category, claiming it harms backward classes. In a political move, the Congress government's caste survey faced opposition, reducing the BC percentage. The survey, fulfilling a Congress election promise, has sparked political debate.

Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar has raised concerns over the Telangana government's decision to include backward sections among Muslims in the Backward Classes (BC) category. He alleged that this inclusion would lead to injustice for the backward classes.

During a roadshow in Karimnagar, Kumar highlighted that Hindu candidates struggled to win in Hyderabad civic polls in the past due to a four percent reservation for backward Muslims, implemented by late Congress Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy in undivided Andhra Pradesh. He emphasized that other castes also oppose the inclusion of Muslims in the BC category.

While the previous BRS government's survey showed BCs to constitute 51 percent of the population, the Congress government's recent caste survey reports a decline to 46 percent. Telangana's Backward Classes Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar organized a meeting with BC associations to discuss the survey's outcomes.