HYDERABAD, February 5: Minister Ponnam Prabhakar addressed the media at Gandhi Bhavan on Wednesday expressing strong disapproval of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi’s (BRS) opposition to the recently conducted caste census in Telangana. He questioned the BRS’s authority to criticise the initiative, stating, “Where does the BRS get the right to criticise the caste census conducted by the Congress government?” He emphasised that this was the first time in the nation’s history that such a survey had been undertaken.
Prabhakar accused the BRS of attempting to sabotage the caste census and highlighted the expulsion of Backward Classes (BC) leader Eatala Rajender from the party. He challenged the BRS, asking, “Why did you expel BC leader Eatala from the party?” He further criticised the concentration of key positions within the BRS, implying a lack of representation for BC communities.
Defending the caste census, Prabhakar asserted that it was conducted scientifically and meticulously. He urged BC communities not to be misled by unfounded allegations and assured that any errors in the survey would be responsibly corrected. He also challenged the BRS to a discussion on their contributions to BC communities over the past decade, suggesting venues such as the Assembly, Charminar, or the Balkampet Yellamma temple.
In a related context, TPCC Chief Mahesh Kumar Goud addressed party discipline, stating that any member, regardless of position, who speaks beyond the party line will face action from the disciplinary committee. This statement gains significance amidst the controversy surrounding comments made by Congress MLC Teenmar Mallanna regarding the caste census.
The discourse underscores the ongoing political tensions in Telangana concerning the caste census and the representation of Backward Classes within party structures.
