Intensive household survey conducted during BRS regime has no legality or sanctity: Revanth

Heated debate over authenticity of Samagra Kutumba Survey findings between government and opposition parties in Assembly session.

The Samagra Kutumba Survey — intensive household survey — conducted by the previous BRS government, led to heated debate between the Treasury Benches and Opposition parties on Tuesday.

Participating in the special session of the Assembly convened to discuss about the findings of the caste survey conducted by the Congress government, BJP member Payal Shankar raised doubts over the authenticity of the latest survey claiming that there were several inconsistencies in it. The number of Other Castes (OCs) saw an increase from eight per cent in the SKS to 13 per cent in the latest survey while the number of backward classes had, in fact, decreased.

Moreover, the survey findings categorise backward classes on religious lines, Hindus and Muslims. “Will this observation stand legal scrutiny?” he asked apprehending that the government could try to escape from its responsibility blaming the Centre for not allowing the increase in reservations for backward classes.

Responding to the charge, Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy asked the member not to create apprehensions among the people on the survey which was meticulously conducted without giving scope for any lapses. Intervening at this stage, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy faulted the member for quoting the figures from the Samagra Kutumba Survey and said the SKS had no sanctity or legality as the previous government did not make the details public nor sought the approval of the Legislature for it. He said the previous survey, conducted by a family for its interests, had several lapses. The percentage of OC population was quoted as 21 whereas the survey conducted by the Congress government revealed it to be little over 15 per cent. The percentage of BC population including the BCs in Muslim community was put at 51 per cent while their actual number was 56.33 per cent — 46.25 per cent BCs in Hindus and 10.08 per cent in Muslims.

“Let the BRS clarify whether it is an official document? If it is indeed genuine, why did the government not place the survey report before the Cabinet and the Legislature for approval?” he asked.

BRS working president and MLA K.T. Rama Rao contended that SKS was an official survey covering 1.03 crore families and comprising 3.68 crore individuals. It pointed out that the BC population was 51 per cent in addition to 10 per cent of BCs in Muslims taking it to 61 per cent. “How did the number come down?” he asked.

The Chief Minister, however, rebutted the charge claiming that the document was not placed in the government websites and it was retrieved from the website of the MCRHRD Institute. Nobody claimed the ownership of the document and there were no details about who conducted the massive survey in 12 hours. “The details are however shared with the Limca Book of Records,” he wondered.