Thomas Piketty in Telangana committee that will analyse caste survey findings

As per the government order, the committee will “carry out analysis of the data” collected in the Socio Economic Educational Employment Political and Caste (SEEPC) survey, 2024, and suggest “evidence-based policies for various sectors” in the state.

However, sources said, the expert panel will not look into the methodology of the survey. “There will be no relook of the data collected and the methodology. We are only looking for analysis of the collected data. We are confident that the data will help experts come up with policy-level suggestions for better governance in Telangana,” a senior government official told The Indian Express.

Asked about inclusion of wide-ranging experts, especially Piketty, in the panel, the official said the intention of the government was to make the recommendations “exhaustive”. “All members are experts in the field of sociology, economics and law,” the official said.

The caste survey was undertaken between November and December last year and covered 96.1% households of the state. To ensure that the remaining households too were covered, the Telangana government announced a second round of the survey to be undertaken between February 16 and 28.

As the findings of the first round of the survey were tabled and got Cabinet approval, the Opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and BJP claimed that Backward Classes had been “undercounted”. While the caste survey revealed the population of backward classes to be 56.3% of the state’s population, community leaders like BJP Rajya Sabha MP R Krishnaiah claimed their proportion to be over 60% of the state’s population.

BJP’s objections

The BJP also took exception to the survey classifying backward classes as Muslim and non-Muslims. “Muslims will never be accepted in the backward class, period. The BJP is unequivocally against religion-based reservations. Despite being aware of this, the Congress is trying to push for it at the Centre is sheer foolishness,” BJP Karimnagar MP and Union minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar said in a post on X on February 13.

He added that the Congress “lacks sincerity” in implementing backward class reservations. “Including Muslims in the BC category will deprive BCs of their rightful reservations. If Muslims are included in BCs, the entire Hindu society will revolt.”

While the BRS said it had no problem with the formation of the expert group, it questioned the government’s timing. “We welcome the constitution of the group, which comprises illustrious people with social sensitivity. But what is the point of forming a panel to study data which was collected in a farcical manner and only after the Opposition pointed to the gaps? It is like performing surgery on a person after death,” BRS spokesperson Dasoju Sravan told The Indian Express.

Slamming Revanth Reddy for “lacking vision and wisdom”, Sravan said the process of data collection should have had sanctity and the panel should have overseen data collection. “We will wait and see what the committee has to say,” he added.