Suvendu govt scraps Masjid-Madrasa aid schemes from June 1

The Bengal government announced the complete termination of all state welfare stipends and assistance projects allocated on religious grounds. Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Minister Agnimitra Paul briefed reporters at Nabanna, confirming that financial aid run by the Department of Information and Cultural Affairs, alongside the Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education Department, will be permanently discontinued starting June 1.

The policy shift has immediately triggered intense, widespread speculation regarding the continuity of long-standing state provisions, most notably the monthly financial allowances traditionally disbursed to local Muezzins and imams across the state. Simultaneously, Minister Paul announced that the state cabinet has resolved to completely reconsider and overhaul the existing list of Other Backward Classes (OBC) recognized for state government jobs and public posts.

Citing the legal framework of the Calcutta High Court’s landmark Division Bench verdict dated May 22, 2024, the new administration has officially abolished all existing OBC sub-categories. Under the previous framework, a significant majority of the communities listed under the OBC-A category—specifically 112 out of 118 communities—were from the Muslim underclass, while the OBC-B category included 65 Muslim communities out of 157 total listings, totaling roughly 177 Muslim groups receiving reservation benefits.