80% of West Bengal's Muslims included in OBC, reveals Backward Classes Commission Chairman

National Commission for Backward Classes Chairman, Hansraj Ahir, has revealed serious irregularities in the OBC reservation list of West Bengal, stating that over 80% of Muslims in the state have been included in the OBC category. This revelation has sparked controversy, with the ruling Mamata government on the defensive and the opposition BJP criticizing the government.

According to the investigation conducted by the National Commission for Backward Classes, the OBC reservation list prepared by the state government since 2009 in West Bengal was found to have been prepared arbitrarily. It was discovered that 80% of Muslims were included in the list, bypassing other castes entitled to reservation. Ahir has instructed immediate rectification of these irregularities and the preparation of a new list.

It was disclosed that before 2011, there were only 10 Muslim castes in the central list of OBCs in West Bengal. However, during the UPA government in 2011, 35 Muslim castes were added to the list. In 2014, an additional 35 Muslim castes were included, resulting in a significant increase in the total number of castes in the OBC category. This has resulted in the original castes entitled to OBC reservation being deprived of their rights.

Ahir emphasized that it is unfair for Muslim students to secure seats reserved for OBCs in medical colleges, and including 80% of Muslims in the OBC category is unjust to other deserving castes. He pledged to investigate the inclusion of the 35 castes and take strict action if the Supreme Court's rulings were not followed while preparing the OBC list. He also highlighted that Hindus who converted to Islam and even potential Bangladeshi infiltrators may have taken advantage of this irregularity, which will be thoroughly investigated.