Telangana CM announces 42 per cent reservation for OBCs, recognizes their census population at 56.36 per cent

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on Monday in a historic move, announced 42 per cent reservations for OBCs in education, employment, and political representation, fulfilling a long-standing demand from subaltern groups. Reddy declared that the OBC population in the state is 56.36 per cent based on rigorous scientific efforts. 

"Telangana is proud to lead the social revolution in India. It is my honour to announce the longest pending demand of the subaltern groups since Indian Independence, the yearning of our brothers & sisters belonging to the Backward Castes, on being counted & recognised in an official census - has finally found deliverance. Today, as the Leader of the Telangana Legislative Assembly, as Chief Minister I solemnly declare that based on the most scientific, methodically rigorous, and excruciating efforts of our people, we can say that the OBCs population in Telangana is 56.36 percent," CM Reddy said. 

"We are now resolving to ensure 42 percent reservations for this Group in all walks of life - education, jobs and employment & political representation.Be on the right side of history & let each one of us become a champion of this historic move," he added. 

Reddy proposed meeting the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, as well to request him to raise the issue in Parliament as part of the effort to get the Centre's nod to the bills. He claimed that the Supreme Court imposed 50 per cent cap on reservations as there was no data on population.

The Telangana government has carried out a transparent caste survey for the first time in the country, which showed that population of BCs was 56.36 per cent, Revanth Reddy said.

He said it is the responsibility of all parties who have representation in the Assembly to ensure that the bills get Parliament's nod during the ongoing session itself.