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Last Updated: October 21, 2023, 22:50 IST
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. (File photo/PTI)
In a review meeting of the commission held in Kolkata in February this year, the state government informed in writing that out of 179 OBC castes included in the state list, there are 118 Muslim OBC castes and only 61 Hindu OBC castes
A constant state of confrontation between the Centre and the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government continues to deepen as a fresh row has erupted between the two over the OBC list. The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) has issued a notice to the TMC-led government to include 87 castes of the state in the list of Central Backward Classes.
Regarding this matter, NCBC Chairman Hansraj Gangaram Ahir will hold a hearing on November 3.
In a review meeting of the commission held in Kolkata in February this year, the state government informed in writing that out of 179 OBC castes included in the state list, there are 118 Muslim OBC castes and only 61 Hindu OBC castes.
The NCBC has taken cognisance of the disproportionate number of Muslim castes being notified in the state list of Backward Classes in Bengal as against the population and the commission has also taken serious note of the protection of the rights of the original OBC castes in the state.
Keeping this in mind, there are 87 new castes proposed by the Bengal government, which include 78 Muslim and only nine Hindu castes.
The commission has decided to review them and has asked the state government to provide, among other documents, the description and genealogy of the 87 OBC castes included in the Bengal list in the Imperial Gazetteer along with the gazetteer and genealogy of all those castes which were earlier Hindus and later converted to Islam.
The Bengal government has not yet provided any document in this matter to the NCBC.
On the other side, the BJP has already alleged the Bengal government of minority appeasement.
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