Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], February 16 (ANI): Hours after its government in Telangana brought a resolution in the Assembly on Friday to conduct a statewide caste census, Congress leader Deepa Dasmunshi said it marked the fulfilment of the dream and vision of Rahul Gandhi. Speaking to ANI after the resolution on a statewide caste census was tabled and passed in the Telangana Assembly, the Congress leader said, “Today, the resolution on a caste census has been passed in the Telangana assembly. It marks a major step forward towards fulfilling the dream and vision of Rahul Gandhi, who earlier called for a nationwide OBC caste census. It was passed earlier in the CWC meeting of the AICC.”
“Telangana is a state that accounts for 56 per cent of the OBC population. The passage of the resolution today marks a great day for OBCs today,” Dasmunshi said.
Earlier, on Friday, the Congress government in Telangana brought a resolution in the assembly for a statewide caste census. The caste census was among the many guarantees of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to the people of Telangana ahead of the Assembly elections.
An official statement issued by the state government read,” This House resolves to take up a comprehensive door-to-door household survey (Socio, Economic, Educational, Employment, Political and Caste Survey (KULA GANANA) of entire Telangana State as per the decision of the Council of Ministers of February 4, 2024, so as to plan and implement various socio-economic, educational, employment and political opportunities for the amelioration of backward classes, SC and ST citizens of the state and other weaker sections of the state.”
Backward Class Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar initiated the resolution for a caste census in the Assembly on Friday. As part of the statewide survey, data on OBCs will be collated in the state, which, in turn, will enable targeted welfare and equitable resource distribution. While campaigning for the Telangana Assembly polls last year, Rahul said a caste census was the need of the hour for the country.
Earlier, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) adopted a resolution on October 9 promising a nationwide caste census if it comes to power at the Centre. It said the 50 per cent cap on reservations, as was stipulated by the Supreme Court, will also be lifted through legislation.
Congress won an absolute majority in Telangana for the first time since the state was founded, winning 64 of 119 seats. Meanwhile, Dasmunshi also spoke on the freezing of Congress’s bank accounts, saying, “This is a conspiracy, the accounts have been frozen deliberately. We are holding a protest over it in front of the BJP office (in Telangana) and more protests have been planned nationwide. This is the only forward for us.”
Earlier, on Friday, the Congress announced that four of its bank accounts had been frozen by the Income Tax (I-T) department. Barely an hour after the Congress made this announcement, the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) allowed the party to operate its bank accounts till holds a hearing in the matter. (ANI)
