Hyderabad – Dr. K Laxman, the National President of the BJP OBC Morcha, praised the Central Government’s move to conduct a caste census alongside the national population census. He called it a major step toward social justice and equal development.
Speaking at the BJP state office in Nampally, party leaders celebrated the decision with a traditional tribute, pouring milk over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s portrait. Dr. Laxman addressed the media afterward, stating that this move would help every section of society, especially the backward and marginalized communities.
He dismissed the Congress Party's claims that they deserved credit for this initiative. Laxman pointed out that the last caste census was done in 1931, during British rule. Despite ruling India for over 60 years, Congress never conducted a caste-based census after independence, he said.
Dr. Laxman called April 30 a historic day. He emphasized that after 94 years, Modi’s government revived this process to uplift the poor, Dalits, and other underrepresented groups.
He reminded the public that Dr. B R Ambedkar gave constitutional rights to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). Today, many from the OBC community see Narendra Modi as a modern-day Ambedkar or Jyotiba Phule for his efforts.
Targeting Rahul Gandhi and Revanth Reddy, Laxman criticized their praise of Telangana’s caste survey, calling it misleading. He accused Congress of suppressing backward class rights and failing to implement genuine reservations.
Laxman revealed that in 2010, during the UPA regime, senior BJP leaders like Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, and Sushma Swaraj had demanded a caste census. However, the Congress-led government turned it into a private survey, spending ₹5,000 crore through the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NEC). The results were never made public.
Similarly, a ₹300 crore caste survey in Karnataka was also hidden due to internal Congress issues, he said.
Under Modi’s leadership, the BJP is now conducting a scientific and transparent caste census. The goal is to gather accurate caste data, create targeted welfare programs, and ensure fair budget allocations. In contrast, Laxman criticized the Revanth Reddy government in Telangana for carrying out what he called an “unscientific” and secretive survey.
He questioned why the Telangana caste report wasn’t presented in the Assembly. He asked why village-wise and caste-wise data, including economic and social status, was withheld.
Laxman said that in Telangana, Muslims make up 12% of the population, but only 10% were counted as OBCs, which he called unfair. He also disputed Congress’s claim that BCs make up 46% of Telangana’s population, saying the real figure is 51%. “How can this flawed survey be a role model?” he asked, challenging Rahul Gandhi to explain.
He pointed to Bihar, where under the NDA, a caste census was legally approved and data was made public. Though some parties challenged it in court, the government’s efforts were clear and open.
Dr. Laxman concluded that the Modi government’s caste census will be historic and thorough. He said this initiative aligns with Modi’s vision to strengthen India’s social and economic structure. He noted that 27 OBC ministers currently serve in Modi’s cabinet, proving the government’s commitment to inclusive growth.
