YS Sharmila, president of AP Congress, has been a strong advocate of having caste census in the state, drawing inspiration from the Telangana model. She hailed Telangana’s caste survey as landmark, calling upon the Andhra Pradesh government to do something similar so that there is an accurate representation of how backward and marginalized sections’ representation goes in the state.
In a recent tweet, Sharmila underscored the need for such a census, stating, “It is crucial for us to determine the number of individuals from backward and marginalized communities in Andhra Pradesh’s population of 5.5 crores. Telangana’s caste survey, led by the Congress government, has set a historic precedent for the entire country. This survey, under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, revealed that nearly 90% of Telangana’s population consists of BCs, SCs, and STs. We believe Andhra Pradesh faces a similar demographic structure, and it is time for our government to initiate a caste-based census. The information gathered will ensure that those from backward sections receive equitable representation and benefits in politics, education, and employment. The fair implementation of reservations should be based on population proportions.”
Sharmila also took the opportunity to criticize the previous YSR Congress Party government, particularly former Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Reddy, for allegedly suppressing the caste survey results. According to Sharmila, Jagan, under pressure from the BJP, deliberately prevented the release of the caste survey report.
The Andhra Pradesh Congress leader also highlighted the fact that the Rahul Gandhi-led Congress party has been demanding a caste survey at the national level and has asked the government to act in the interest of marginalized sections. Sharmila further charged the BJP with destroying the reservation system and deceiving the public. She also urged Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to avoid falling into the BJP’s agenda.
Reaffirming her call for action, Sharmila urged the government of Andhra Pradesh to immediately initiate its own caste-based enumeration. She again highlighted that data from such a survey would prove invaluable in judging the justifiable representation of marginalized communities and also how reservations must be implemented in a fair and open manner, based on population figures. She believed this move would bring to Andhra Pradesh a fairer and more inclusive society, which would finally help the people who long faced social and economic hardships.
