Caste Census Needed for Justice to Weaker Sections, Equitable Wealth Sharing: Bhatti

Speaking during a discussion on the Census and caste census in the State Legislative Assembly, Bhatti said there was a need to conduct a comprehensive nationwide survey on the lines of the Socio-Economic, Educational, Employment and Political Survey conducted by the Congress government in Telangana.

He said the caste census was not an issue concerning any particular caste or political party, but one concerning the welfare of society as a whole. To correct the inequalities prevailing in society, it was first necessary to understand their extent and nature, and a caste census was crucial for this purpose, he said.

Bhatti said that after the Congress government came to power in Telangana, a comprehensive survey was conducted across the state to assess the social, economic and political conditions of the people.

The survey collected detailed information on several aspects, including the population of different castes, their occupations, economic conditions, educational status, employment and unemployment levels, and the number of people owning or not owning land.

As the Deputy Chief Minister in charge of the Planning Department, he said he personally reviewed the process on a daily basis to ensure that the survey was conducted without scope for errors.

He said the survey conducted in Telangana had emerged as a model for the entire country. He recalled that even opposition members had appreciated the survey when its report was presented in the Assembly.

Bhatti said the Congress party had been demanding from the beginning that a caste census be conducted across the country on the lines of the survey undertaken in Telangana.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had visited Delhi and met leaders of various political parties as well as the Prime Minister, urging the Centre to conduct a caste census across the country, he said. Ministers had also put pressure on the Centre on the issue, Bhatti added.

However, as there was no response from the Centre as expected, a meeting was organised in Delhi by inviting leaders of all political parties, where the Telangana model was explained. The need to conduct a similar comprehensive caste census across the country was emphasised, he said.

Bhatti recalled that the Centre had earlier stated that a caste census would be included while conducting the national Census.

He said it was unfortunate that the caste census was not being included in the Census currently underway. He demanded that the Centre honour its commitment and include the caste census in the national Census.

“How can the actual conditions of weaker sections of society be identified without a caste census?” he questioned. He said it was not appropriate to mislead people by avoiding the inclusion of a caste census.

“BJP members should clearly state whether they want a caste census or not. If they support a caste census, the Assembly should unanimously call upon the Central Government and the Prime Minister to conduct it. If they oppose it, they should clearly state the same,” Bhatti Vikramarka said.

He said it was not appropriate for BJP members to appreciate the survey conducted in Telangana in the Assembly and now claim that no caste census had been conducted anywhere in the country.

He reiterated that the Congress was demanding the implementation of the Telangana model across the country. Bhatti said wealth and resources were not being distributed equally among all sections of society and that the first step towards eliminating these inequalities was to understand where the problem existed.

“If society is not healthy, we must first take an X-ray and diagnose the disease. Only then can treatment begin. The caste census is the X-ray that identifies the inequalities prevailing in society,” Bhatti Vikramarka said.

He explained that a caste census would provide a clear picture of the actual population and social and economic conditions of various communities. This information could then be used to formulate welfare and development policies, he said.

Based on population, steps could be taken to ensure that opportunities, resources and the benefits of development reach all sections of society equitably, he added. Bhatti Vikramarka expressed confidence that the Congress party would come to power in the country in the upcoming elections and that Rahul Gandhi would become the Prime Minister.

He announced that under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, a comprehensive Socio-Economic, Educational, Employment and Political Survey would be conducted across the country on the lines of the survey undertaken in Telangana.

The survey would help ascertain the actual socio-economic conditions of various communities and formulate future action plans based on the findings, he said.

Bhatti Vikramarka asserted that policies would be implemented to ensure that funds, resources, opportunities and assets required for the development of the country are distributed fairly and equitably among all sections based on their population.