Telangana will be first state to implement SC categorisation: CM Revanth Reddy

HYDERABAD: Welcoming the Supreme Court judgment, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy said that Telangana would become the first state to categorise the Scheduled Castes into A, B, C and D groups, and that the Congress government was prepared to promulgate an ordinance if necessary for the purpose.

Speaking in the Assembly, Revanth Reddy that the state government would take appropriate measures to implement reservations for the Madiga and Mala sub-castes in the upcoming job notifications.

While he, and members from BJP, AIMIM and CPI celebrated the SC judgment in the House, the main opposition BRS members disrupted the proceedings by trooping into the well of the House on Wednesday’s alleged derogatory remarks by Revanth Reddy against party’s women MLAs Sabitha Indra Reddy and V. Sunitha Laxma Reddy. Later, they staged a walkout.

The Chief Minister remarked that it was futile to expect positive contributions from the BRS. "The state government will soon take a decision on categorisation of SCs into A,B,C and D groups, as per the Supreme Court's directive," announced Revanth Reddy. He said that the ruling was a crucial step towards resolving the long-standing issue.

He recalled the events leading up to the judgment, highlighting the previous BRS government's negligence. He reminded the House that the BRS government had suspended Congress MLA Sampath Kumar from the Assembly for moving an adjournment motion on categorization of SC reservations, demonstrating how it had neglected this issue during its rule.

Revanth Reddy said that Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka and health minister C. Damodar Rajanarsimha had played pivotal roles in advocating the state's position on the issue. They sent the Advocate General to the Supreme Court on December 23, 2023, where legal experts argued the case.

The Telangana government's efforts, according to the Chief Minister, had borne fruit in Thursday’s judgment.

He highlighted the Congress government's commitment to supporting dalits and acknowledged the happiness this decision would bring them.