Telangana Deputy Bhatti makes a pitch for Cong, INDIA Bloc to raise OBC quota in Parliament

Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka has a made a forceful appeal to the MPs from the Congress and the INDIA Bloc to raise the issue of OBC reservations in the Parliament and stand in support of the social justice.

In an power point presentation to the INDIA Bloc MPs on Telangana’s socio-economic caste survey in New Delhi on Thursday (July 24, 2025) evening, Mr. Bhatti, explained the entire process followed by the State Government and asserted that the survey was conducted in a meticulous and foolproof manner which no one could question. “The survey was completed within 50 days using two-lakh human resources including 94,000 enumerators,” Mr. Bhatti told the gathering.

Stating that the caste census was historic, the Deputy Chief Minister said the exercise was not just a caste-based enumeration. “It was a comprehensive socio-economic, employment, political, and caste survey, as promised by Rahul Gandhi before the [2023] Assembly elections,” he said pointing that on February 4 last year, the Cabinet passed a resolution to conduct the survey, which was unanimously approved. “The same month, a resolution for a comprehensive door-to-door survey was introduced and passed in the Assembly,” he noted.

Pointing out that Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi had warned that even a small error in a national issue like the caste census could lead to major consequences, the government ensured that every step was taken with utmost care.

Elaborating on how closely the State machinery including the Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy directly monitored the exercise, Mr. Bhatti said to ensure ease and completeness, the government brought in school teachers as survey partners.

Mr. Bhatti explained that the collected data was entered on-site by data entry operators in the presence of enumerators, ensuring accuracy and eliminating errors. The details were secured at mandal centers, like election data to prevent tampering. “In response to Opposition criticisms, survey forms were presented with signatures of house owners, proving authenticity,” he said.

Overcoming the allegations that the survey was aimed at cutting back welfare schemes, clarifications by the Ministers built public confidence and boosted participation. After completion, the survey report was submitted to a Cabinet Sub-Committee chaired by Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, who expressed satisfaction and recommended it to the Cabinet.

The Deputy Chief Minister said the survey was completed and the report was tabled in the Assembly and sent to the Central Government after approval. He told the MPs that to avoid any perception that this was a partisan survey by Congress, party leadership including Rahul Gandhi and AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge suggested forming a committee headed by Justice Sudarshan Reddy, including prominent economists and internationally renowned scholars.

Further, Mr. Bhatti said how an independent expert committee reviewed and praised the survey, affirming its thoroughness and reliability. He said the survey determined that OBCs constitute 56% of Telangana’s population. Based on this, a Cabinet resolution was passed recommending 42% reservation for OBCs in local bodies. It was tabled in the Assembly and forwarded to the Centre. The same 42% reservation is also proposed in education and employment, not just politics.