19-10-2023 : Rahul Gandhi, a prominent leader of the Indian National Congress, has pledged to conduct a comprehensive caste survey in the state of Telangana if the Congress emerges victorious in the upcoming assembly elections. During a rally in Bhupalpally, Rahul Gandhi took a dig at the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) and asserted that a caste census would expose the extent of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao’s family’s alleged misappropriation of the state’s resources.
He stated, “We have already initiated caste surveys in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, and Karnataka, and will do the same in Telangana as soon as we come to power. The caste census will reveal how much KCR’s family has looted Telangana.”
Telangana is scheduled to hold assembly elections on November 30, with vote counting set for December 3. In the previous 2018 assembly elections, the BRS secured a significant victory by winning 88 out of 119 seats with a vote share of 47.4 percent, while the Congress managed to secure only 19 seats with a vote share of 28.7 percent.
During his three-day visit to the state, Rahul Gandhi emphasized the importance of a caste census, describing it as a top priority for India. He urged the people of Telangana to question both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao about when they plan to conduct the caste census survey. He reiterated that this exercise serves as an “X-ray” of the country, providing valuable data on the proportion of backward castes, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, and minorities, which in turn enables more equitable budget allocation.
The Indian National Congress has been advocating for a nationwide caste census as it seeks to position itself against the Bharatiya Janata Party in the lead-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) adopted a resolution on October 9, pledging a nationwide caste census as part of the decadal census if the party assumes power at the national level.
Rahul Gandhi also launched a scathing attack on the chief minister, accusing the KCR government of being the most corrupt in the country. He emphasized that while the dream of Telangana state was rooted in the idea of people’s governance, the reality now reflects the rule of one family. According to Rahul, a single family exerts full control over the state of Telangana, and the level of corruption in the state is among the highest in the nation.