Hyderabad: Chief Minister Revanth Reddy announced that Telangana is the first state in India to implement a BC (Backward Classes) quota by conducting a Caste Census. He noted that no BJP-ruled state has carried out such an initiative to empower backward communities.
Several Congress leaders from the BC community, including TPCC President Mahesh Kumar Goud, ministers like Konda Surekha and Jupally Krishna Rao, along with other officials, met with the Chief Minister. They thanked him for issuing an ordinance that ensures 42% reservation for BCs in upcoming local elections.
The Chief Minister highlighted that BJP-led states have not provided BC quotas in local bodies. He criticized the BJP for previously opposing the caste census in the Supreme Court. Congress organized a protest at Jantar Mantar with 16 parties, urging the inclusion of BC quotas in the 9th schedule. As a result, the central government agreed to include a caste census in the next population count, influenced by Telangana’s actions.
Revanth Reddy demanded the Union government legalize BC reservations in the 9th schedule. He questioned Union Ministers from Telangana, like G Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay, for not pressuring the Centre to enhance the BC quota. He asserted that if Rahul Gandhi were Prime Minister, BC quotas would be achieved in 48 hours.
The Chief Minister expressed his readiness to hold a cabinet meeting even at midnight to address BC quota issues. He claimed the opposition has no right to question his commitment to BC reservations. He mentioned that the High Court set a deadline to finalize reservations for local body elections within a month, and elections were postponed to ensure 42% reservations for BCs.
Revanth Reddy criticized the previous KCR government for the Panchayat Raj Act, which capped BC quotas at 50%. He urged the public to boycott individuals who filed court petitions against the BC quota. He declared that BC quota will be a major agenda in the 2029 elections and is prepared to present on the 42% reservations to Congress MPs and the India Alliance. He concluded that true success will be when BC quotas are implemented nationwide.
