BRS MLAs slam BJP's \"BC Declaration\", demand caste-wise census of BCs

HYDERABAD: BRS MLAs demanded that the Telangana BJP, which had issued a ‘BC declaration’ on Thursday, put pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to undertake a caste-wise census of the Backward Classes to determine their socio-economic status.

They said that neither at the Centre nor in states ruled by it had the BJP implemented schemes for BC community welfare as the BRS had done in Telangana.

Speaking to the media at the BRS Legislature Party (BRSLP) office here on Friday, MLAs K.P. Vivekanand and Kaleru Venkatesh alleged that Telangana BJP was enacting a new drama under the guise of the ‘BC declaration’. They hailed Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao’s approval for a new scheme to extend ₹1 lakh financial assistance to BCs who are dependent on hereditary professions for livelihood on Thursday.

Venkatesh said that Rao had piloted a unanimous resolution in the Assembly in October 2021 asking the Centre to undertake a caste-wise census of BCs but there had been no response. “If BJP leaders are sincere, they should ensure caste-wise census. This BC declaration is fake. They should implement it in BJP-ruled states first," Venkatesh said.

“Did the Prime Minister bring at least one scheme for the benefit of BCs? He failed to set up even a separate ministry for the BCs,” Vivekanand said.

He said that the BRS government was spending more than the Centre for the welfare of BCs. “The CM has set up the highest number of residential schools for BCs in the country. He is constructing buildings for all BC communities on valuable land in Hyderabad and has allocated crores for their construction.

Telangana BJP leaders should answer why such schemes were not being implemented in BJP ruled states,” Vivekanand asked.