Hyderabad: A comprehensive door-to-door household survey (socio, educational, economic, employment, political and caste survey) in entire Telangana will be undertaken but there is no clarity if the survey will cover Muslims. The Congress government in the state issued a Government Order (GO) in this regard on Friday.
The Planning Department has been designated as the nodal department to conduct the survey, which will be completed within 60 days.
The GO issued by Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari refers to the resolution passed by the state Legislative Assembly for conducting the survey as per the decision taken by the Council of Ministers on February 4, 2024.
“Government, after careful consideration, hereby order to take up a comprehensive door-to-door household survey (socio, educational, economic, employment, political and caste survey) of entire Telangana so as to plan and implement various socio, economic, educational, employment and political opportunities for the amelioration of Backwards Classes, SC and ST citizens of the state and other weaker sections of the state,” reads the GO.
However, contrary to the assurance given by the government in the Assembly that the survey will cover Muslims, the GO has no mention of Muslim community or minorities.
The State Legislative Assembly on February 17 passed a resolution for conducting the caste survey aimed at assessing social, economic, educational, employment, political and caste status of the people.
“The House resolves to take up comprehensive door-to-door household survey (socio, economic, educational, employment, political and caste survey) of entire Telangana so as to plan and implement various socio, economic, educational, employment and political opportunities for the amelioration of socially and educationally backward classes of citizens and SCs and STs,” reads the resolution.
During the debate, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi wanted to know if Muslims will also be covered by the caste survey. He wanted to know why Muslims have not been mentioned in the resolution along with BCs, SCs and STs.
Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka assured that the survey will also cover Muslims. He said the survey would also assess backwardness of the Muslim community. “Not just Muslims, the survey will assess social, educational, economic and political status of all the people living in the state,” he had said.
However, the GO makes no mention of Muslims or minorities.
The Congress government had also assured the Assembly that the government will also consult legal experts, intellectuals and leaders of various communities and political parties to prepare modalities for conducting the comprehensive survey.
During the Assembly elections, the Congress had promised to conduct a caste census. It was also included in the party’s manifesto. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy said the resolution is the first step to fulfil the promise. “The Congress party believes that all sections of people should get opportunities in social, economic, educational and political fields in proportion to their population,” he had said in Assembly.
The Chief Minister had recalled that when UPA was in power at the Centre, Rajinder Sachar Committee was constituted to assess the social, educational, economic and political status of Muslims and based on this report the then Congress government in combined Andhra Pradesh had provided four percent reservation to Muslims on the basis of their backwardness.
He said the government decided to conduct the survey for implementation of schemes for empowering the backward classes in a scientific manner. The survey will also help in ensuring availability of adequate funds and opportunities to backward classes, who constitute 50 percent of the population.
