YS Sharmila Demands Caste Census in Andhra Pradesh, Cites Telangana as Model
Andhra Pradesh Congress president YS Sharmila made notable remarks on the caste census conducted by the Congress government in Telangana. She urged the Chandrababu Naidu-led Andhra Pradesh government to undertake a similar caste survey in the state. Describing the Telangana caste census as historic, she asserted that it could serve as a model for the entire country.
In a post on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), YS Sharmila stated, “The caste census initiated by the Congress government in Telangana is a landmark decision and a guiding light for the nation. This is a testament to Rahul Gandhi’s foresight for the country's future. The survey revealed that Telangana’s population comprises 56% Backward Classes (BCs), 17% Scheduled Castes (SCs), and 10% Scheduled Tribes (STs), meaning nearly 90% of the population belongs to socially and economically disadvantaged communities.”
She emphasized that the Congress party, as part of the opposition alliance in Andhra Pradesh, is demanding a similar caste census in the state. She expressed her belief that the demographic composition in Andhra Pradesh would be similar to Telangana’s and stressed the need to determine the exact numbers of marginalized communities within the state's 5.5 crore population.
YS Sharmila underscored the importance of quantifying socially disadvantaged groups, stating that resources and opportunities in politics, education, and employment should be allocated based on population proportion. She advocated for the fair implementation of reservations based on demographic data.
She accused the previous YSR Congress government, led by Jagan Mohan Reddy, of suppressing caste census data. She alleged, “Before the elections, the then YSR Congress government conducted a caste survey, but former Chief Minister Jagan, acting as a puppet of the BJP, concealed the findings. The data was deliberately suppressed under BJP’s direction.”
Referring to the national context, YS Sharmila remarked that while Rahul Gandhi is pushing for a nationwide caste census, the BJP is misleading the public by framing it as a ploy to abolish reservations. She urged Chandrababu Naidu not to fall into the BJP’s trap and demanded that his government immediately initiate a caste census in Andhra Pradesh.
In a post on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), YS Sharmila stated, “The caste census initiated by the Congress government in Telangana is a landmark decision and a guiding light for the nation. This is a testament to Rahul Gandhi’s foresight for the country's future. The survey revealed that Telangana’s population comprises 56% Backward Classes (BCs), 17% Scheduled Castes (SCs), and 10% Scheduled Tribes (STs), meaning nearly 90% of the population belongs to socially and economically disadvantaged communities.”
She emphasized that the Congress party, as part of the opposition alliance in Andhra Pradesh, is demanding a similar caste census in the state. She expressed her belief that the demographic composition in Andhra Pradesh would be similar to Telangana’s and stressed the need to determine the exact numbers of marginalized communities within the state's 5.5 crore population.
YS Sharmila underscored the importance of quantifying socially disadvantaged groups, stating that resources and opportunities in politics, education, and employment should be allocated based on population proportion. She advocated for the fair implementation of reservations based on demographic data.
She accused the previous YSR Congress government, led by Jagan Mohan Reddy, of suppressing caste census data. She alleged, “Before the elections, the then YSR Congress government conducted a caste survey, but former Chief Minister Jagan, acting as a puppet of the BJP, concealed the findings. The data was deliberately suppressed under BJP’s direction.”
Referring to the national context, YS Sharmila remarked that while Rahul Gandhi is pushing for a nationwide caste census, the BJP is misleading the public by framing it as a ploy to abolish reservations. She urged Chandrababu Naidu not to fall into the BJP’s trap and demanded that his government immediately initiate a caste census in Andhra Pradesh.