BJP hints at ulterior motives behind caste survey

Hyderabad: BJP state general secretary Kasam Venkateswarlu expressed doubts over Congress MP Rahul Gandhi rushing to Telangana to hold a questionable meeting to gather opinions regarding the caste enumeration survey.

Addressing the media on Tuesday, along with OBC Morcha state president Anand Goud, SC Morcha state general secretary Kranti Kiran, he termed the meeting a political stunt intended to deceive the people of Telangana during elections in neighbouring states.

“If Rahul Gandhi truly cares for the people and BCs of Telangana, he should adhere to the Udaipur declaration, which calls for two assembly seats for each parliamentary constituency,” he said.

He compared the current survey to a previous comprehensive family survey initiated by the BRS government, which he alleged was designed to benefit only the KCR family, and noted that the details collected have not been made public.

He questioned the Congress government's intentions behind collecting sensitive information such as Aadhaar, PAN, mobile numbers, and bank details, suggesting it could be for blackmail or ulterior motives.

Venkateswarlu highlighted concerns about inquiries into business, real estate, and industrialists in the survey, questioning the implications for land ownership details and the risk of repossession of assigned lands.

He noted that SCs, STs, and BCs are being asked about their reservation benefits in the survey, raising concerns that this might lead to the cancellation of their existing reservation rights. “Despite Supreme Court guidance against invading personal privacy, the survey continues to solicit personal information, which raises questions about the security and confidentiality of this data,” he pointed out.

Venkateswarlu criticised the Congress government for promising 42 per cent reservation for BCs in local body elections based on population ratios while failing to complete the caste enumeration survey before the February elections.

He accused the previous BRS government of cheating BCs by holding elections with only 17 per cent reservation, suggesting that the Congress party and the current government led by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy is following the same path.

He called on the Congress government to address and clear the public’s suspicions regarding the caste enumeration survey. If legal issues arise around the survey report, Venkateswarlu asserted that the responsibility would lie solely with the Congress party and the Chief Minister.