Kavitha threatens to block census operations over demand for OBC columns

K. Kavitha | Photo credit: SIDDHANT THAKUR

Telangana Rakshana Sena (TRS) chief Kalvakuntla Kavitha has threatened to block census operations in Telangana if the state government fails to ensure a reserved Other Backward Classes (OBC) column with a standardized caste coding mechanism in the upcoming statewide census.

Addressing a meeting organized by All India OBC Students Association (AIOBCSA) and Telangana BC Rights Forum here, she demanded that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy get a resolution passed in the State Assembly calling for a separate OBC column in the census.

The meeting, which was attended by BC leaders from across the country, adopted nine resolutions under the Hyderabad OBC Declaration, including a nationwide census of castes, unique codes for each caste, proportional representation of OBCs in education, employment and politics, and removal of the 50% ceiling on reservations.

She alleged that the Union government was undermining the interests of the OBCs and alleged that less than ₹2,000 crore out of the Union government’s budget of about ₹50,00,000 was allocated to the OBCs.

Ms. Kavitha argued that the absence of a standardized coding system could lead to castes being fragmented, underrated or left unclassified across states, affecting their access to opportunities and benefits.

Professor Suraj Mandal of Delhi University referred to the Andhra Pradesh High Court’s rejection of 36% reservations in local bodies, the impasse of over 42% BC reservations in Telangana, and what he described as a lack of OBC representation among Supreme Court judges and Prime Minister’s Office officials.

Dharmendra Kushwaha, Maharashtra OBC leader; Sunil Varma, president of SC, ST, OBC and Minority Sangh in Uttar Pradesh; and the meeting was also attended by representatives of OBC organizations from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Assam, Kerala, Jammu & Kashmir and Rajasthan.

They included Thiru Rathna Sabapathy, president of the Tamil Nadu OBC Rights Party; Yejjurappa, Karnataka OBC Federation Coordinator; Umesh Korram of Sakala OBC Mahasabha; Professor of Geometry, Cotton College, Assam; Razia Bibi of OBC Association, Kerala; Bansi Lal and Neelam Kumari of OBC Mahasabha, Jammu and Kashmir; and Vishwajeet Ratonia of OBC United Front, Rajasthan.

The Hyderabad OBC Declaration called for a nationwide caste census with a separate OBC column and unique codes for each caste. It demanded representation in education, employment and politics in proportion to population, 50% reservation for BC based on an estimated 52% BC population in the 1931 census, and removal of the 50% reservation ceiling.

Published – 28 Oct 2026 19:20 IST