Ponnam warns Opposition leaders against obstructing BC welfare initiatives

BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar urges individuals to share their details for the caste survey, warning against obstruction.

Stating that the Socio-Economic, Education, Employment, Political, and Caste Survey was conducted like a movement by the State government to fulfil a poll promise, BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said that individuals who did not share their details with enumerators can still provide the information to officials at their respective mandal offices. He also cautioned that anyone attempting to obstruct the government’s efforts to benefit the Backward Classes community would incur the wrath of people from those communities.

Addressing a press conference at the Gandhi Bhavan here on Monday, Mr. Ponnam revealed that several prominent political leaders, including former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, had not participated in the survey and suggested KCR to attend the special Assembly session on February 4 to discuss the caste survey report and prove his party’s commitment to the BC welfare and upliftment.

The Minister also alleged that some political forces are trying to obstruct the State government’s efforts to implement reservations for Backward Classes (BCs) in education, employment, and politics based on the findings of the caste census. He criticised those who did not share their information, pointing out that except for MLC Kavitha, no other member of the Kalvakuntla family participated in the survey.

Mr. Ponnam made it clear that no special invitation would be extended to former CM KCR to attend the special Assembly session. Accusing the previous BRS government of concealing the household survey details during their tenure, he announced that the current government would utilise the findings in the report of the fresh survey for the public welfare.

Advisor to the State government Mohammed Ali Shabbir stated that the Congress government fulfilled its promise to conduct the caste census. He demanded that former CM KCR explain the methodology and other details adopted in the comprehensive survey conducted during his tenure and apologise for not utilising the survey report.