BC Welfare and Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar
| Photo Credit: By Arrangement
BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar has strongly criticised BJP’s OBC Morcha national president K. Laxman’s reported remarks on the caste census conducted by the Congress government in the State and demanded the immediate withdrawal of those comments.
In a statement here on Sunday, Mr. Prabhakar stated that the State government is ready to clarify any doubts regarding the caste census. He reminded Congress’s history of providing reservations for Backward Classes (BCs), including in central educational institutions like IITs and IIMs.
The Minister questioned whether BCs are not eligible for top positions in the BJP, pointing out the party’s actions seem to favour a different social group. He highlighted the BJP’s history of opposing caste censuses, citing examples from Maharashtra, Bihar and Jharkhand.
Mr. Prabhakar urged the BJP to support the Telangana government’s decision to increase BC reservations by 42% and prove their sincerity towards BCs. He demanded that State BJP leaders approve the law and do justice to BCs rather than undermining the government’s efforts. Mr. Prabhakar also criticized the BJP’s history of approaching the Supreme Court against caste censuses, labelling the party as ‘feudalist’ and ‘upper-caste-centric’.
Published – May 11, 2025 07:03 PM is
