With caste survey, Telangana govt clears sub-categorisation of SCs, may queer Congress pitch

The House adopted some the caste survey study and the sub-categorisation move, with the Opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi arsenic good arsenic BJP supporting it.

Calling himself “extremely proud” of the move, Reddy said the 59 sub-castes among SCs would beryllium divided into 3 groups – Group I, which volition get 1% preservation wrong the 15% quota for SCs; Group II, to beryllium fixed 9%; and Group III that volition person 5%. There volition beryllium nary creamy furniture exclusion wrong the SC quota, helium said.

The determination by the Congress authorities though is acceptable to pull absorption from the ascendant SC Mala group, which has been warring legally against sub-categorisation. Given their dominance, the Malas mostly country the SC quota successful acquisition institutions and authorities jobs, which could alteration with sub-categorisation.

On the different broadside are the Madigas, who person been demanding quotas wrong SC preservation to guarantee the benefits are dispersed evenly. In the lack of sub-categorisation, Manda Krishna Madiga had told The Indian Express successful a caller interview, “Madigas were relegated to the margins.”

On Tuesday, arsenic the Assembly took up the authorities connection connected sub-categorisation, respective Congress leaders, including Kadiyam Srihari, demanded that the wide quota for SCs beryllium accrued to 18%, to summation the wide basket. “The caste survey shows that the SCs comprise implicit 17% of Telangana’s population. It is lone apt that the Congress authorities increases the percent of preservation to SCs, arsenic promised, to 18%,” Srihari said.

The sub-categorisation determination by the Reddy authorities could besides queer the transportation for the Congress nationally arsenic the enactment has chosen to stay mostly soundless connected the issue. In 2024, soon aft the Supreme Court cleared sub-categorisation wrong SCs, the Congress had held consultations successful states ruled by it connected the issue. There was not overmuch clarity barring that each were agreed that determination beryllium nary creamy furniture exclusion among SCs.

Meanwhile, Dalit leaders and parties with SCs arsenic their superior ballot slope came retired against sub-categorisation, fearing a ploy to disagreement the SCs and weaken them.

Floating the sub-categorisation connection Tuesday, Revanth Reddy said: “While the one-member committee appointed by the authorities recommended exclusion of creamy furniture from preservation for SCs, the authorities has decided to clasp it.”

Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha, a Dalit leader, said that soon aft the Supreme Court bid successful favour of sub-categorisation, Telangana had decided to bring it. “SCs cannot beryllium considered a homogenous category. Hence sub-categorisation is just,” helium said.

The determination showed “the committedness of the authorities to bash justice”, Narasimha said. “For this, you request a person with imaginativeness and humanism… We are going to rewrite past by approving sub-categorisation with a proportional balance. The sub-categorisation is not against immoderate group, we are each 1 family.”

Several Dalit groups held celebrations nether the Congress banner successful Hyderabad and different parts of Telangana pursuing the tabling of the sub-categorisation proposal.

BRS person and enactment moving president K T Rama Rao said his enactment besides supported the move, and had been calling for SC sub-categorisation since 2001. He hailed Manda Krishna Madiga “and his combat for sub-categorisation” successful his address.

Manda Krishna Madiga leads the Madiga Reservation Poratta Samithi, which has been warring for sub-categorisation for 3 decades. Recently, helium lent enactment to the BJP successful the anticipation that the Union authorities volition instrumentality sub-categorisation.

BJP MLA Payal Shankar said the enactment supports sub-categorisation of Dalits.