Apprehensions aplenty in Hyderabad about caste survey

Residents in the city express apprehension and anger towards the State government's household survey, questioning its necessity and privacy invasion.

Many residents in the city are apprehensive about the household survey being undertaken by the State government for the assessment of social, financial, education, employment, political and caste status of the population.

On the first day of the actual survey on November 9 (Saturday), which began after three days of door-to-door visits and affixing of stickers by officials, several people refused to share full details regarding their status on the said parameters.

For a few, the questions appeared too intrusive, while a few others expressed their anger towards the government for taking up a fresh survey. “It has become more like a referendum about the government rather than a caste census. Several people questioned the outcome of the ‘Praja Palana’ applications, to accept which a large scale drive was conducted soon after the Congress government came to power,” an official monitoring the census shared under the condition of anonymity.

A large number of households had applied for food security cards during Praja Palana programme, as no fresh applications had been entertained during the previous decade. With instructions issued to officials to accept the applications for the cards, it was largely assumed that a ration card drive would be conducted soon, which is yet to happen.

Video clips of enumerators lamenting how the people were venting their anger at them over non-fulfilment of promises by the Congress (pertaining to housing, gas cylinders and financial assistance to women) made rounds on social media platforms. Many felt that the census is reminiscent of a previous survey carried out by the BRS government, the data of which has not been shared till now.

“The Congress could have dug up the previous survey data and shared it in public domain. What is the point of a fresh survey when all these details had been already shared?” questioned N. Bhikshapathi, a resident of Seetaphalmandi.

A few others found the survey to be a breach of privacy, as it enquired about the specific caste, and also about property details, apart from the Aadhaar number.