Kavitha Demands Separate Column for OBC Details in Census

Telangana Rakshana Sena president Kalvakuntla Kavitha has demanded that a separate column be included in the Census to record details of Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Speaking at an OBC Declaration meeting held at RTC Kala Bhavan in Bagh Lingampally, Hyderabad, on Wednesday, she urged the Telangana government to pass a special resolution in the Assembly, following Tamil Nadu’s example, and put pressure on the Centre to include the provision. She also called for a dedicated drop-down box to ensure OBC details are recorded separately. Kavitha said that if the Centre failed to respond to the demand, people should oppose the Census process in the state. She alleged that the Union government was conspiring to abolish reservations and said SCs, STs and OBCs must unite to protect their rights. She described securing reservations as a valuable legacy for future generations.

Kavitha expressed concern that variations in the names of backward communities across states could lead to them being counted separately, making their population appear smaller than it is. She also criticised the Centre’s budget allocations for the welfare of Backward Classes, alleging that less than ₹2,000 crore was being spent annually on them despite the Union Budget being worth around ₹50 lakh crore. She questioned the purpose of spending ₹12,000 crore on the Census if the exercise failed to establish the actual OBC population. Kavitha further alleged that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy lacked commitment to the issue. She criticised him for promising to take an all-party delegation to Delhi, claiming that despite meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi around 30 times, he had not raised the demand concerning the bill. Leaders of OBC and student organisations from various states, along with professors, attended the meeting.