AP Government Puts Off Caste Census to December 9

Vijayawada: AP government has postponed its proposed census of various castes throughout the state from November 27 to December 9.

Addressing a press conference here on Friday, BC welfare minister Ch. Srinivasa Venugopalakrishna pointed out that the state government has already conducted five regional roundtable meetings as well as district meetings to finalise the modalities of conducting the caste census. However, suggestions have come that meetings must also be held with stakeholders at the mandal level to collect additional details.

This would enable the state government to zero in on comprehensive details of data that must be collected during the census.

Venugopalakrishna said keeping everything in consideration, the state government has decided to postpone the caste census December 9.

He claimed that the caste census we do will go down in the annals of history.

The minister accused the erstwhile N. Chandrababu Naidu government of treating BCs inhumanly. He alleged that the former chief minister had threatened to skin BCs and cut their tails. He



maintained that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is giving top priority to BCs in the government and party, treating them as his brothers and sisters.

Venugopalakrishna reiterated that the CM has given top priority to SCs, STs, BCs, minorities and women in Assembly, Council and Parliament. He declared that Jagan Mohan Reddy is the only Chief Minister who is practising social justice in the country.

The minister accused Telugu Desam of trying to create obstacles in holding of the caste census. He charged Chandrababu Naidu, Nara Lokesh, Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan and two media heads Ramoji Rao and Radhakrishna with spreading lies regarding the scheduled caste census and backward classes.

Venugopalakrishna said they have examined the way caste census had been carried out in Bihar. For the proposed census in AP, they will be considering some additional factors. factors. He underlined that for a long time, there has been a demand that living conditions of various castes be examined. This aspect will also be considered in AP’s caste census.