Sravan demands fresh enumeration of BC voters, welcome HC verdict

Hyderabad : TPCC Chief Spokesperson Dr. Dasoju Sravan has welcomed the verdict of Hyderabad High Court wherein it directed the Telangana Government to conduct Panchayat Raj elections only after enumeration of castewise BC population.

Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan on Tuesday, Sravan demanded that the State Government conduct fresh enumeration of BC voters in the State along with their categories. He said implementation of reservation and categorisation without having actual number of BC voters would be a gross injustice to the communities, especially the marganlised and unrepresented communities, despite High Court's intervention.

Sravan also feared that the TRS Government might postpone the Panchayat Raj elections citing High Court orders on BC reservation and later blame the Congress party for the same. He said when State Government could cover a population of nearly 4 crore people in one day for Intensive Household Survey, it was not difficult for it to conduct enumeration of BC voters, who constitute 52% of the total population, in a single day. Therefore, he said official machinery should be put into action for the same by halting all other activities till the enumeration is completed. He said justice could be done with all BC communities only with actual figures of their voters and their categorisation into A, B, C, D and E groups. He said the categorisation is already being done in neighbouring Karnataka State.

Since Panchayat Raj elections are being held for the first time in Telangana State, the government must ensure that justice is done with all communities. He said all BC communities, especially small groups, have made huge contribution in the statehood movement and therefore, everything must be done to provide them an opportunity for their political empowerment.

The Congress leader said that there were confusions over the actual percentage of BC population. While the IHS indicated at 52% BC population, State Government has mentioned it as 37% while presenting a Bill in the Assembly to enhance quota for Muslims under BC-E. However, he said only 34% seats were earmarked for BCs in the new Panchayat Raj Act.

"With folded hands, I request Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao to order fresh enumeration of BC voters and categorise them as per their groups," Sravan appealed. He said despite constituting 52% of the total population, the representation of BCs in Assembly is just 16.8% in an assembly of 119 MLAs. He alleged that BC communities were being treated as vote giving machines. Therefore, he said increase in the number of BC representatives in the local bodies would serve as a ladder for the BC communities to climb to higher positions in other law making bodies.