Mamata includes more Muslims in OBC, covering 87% of the community

By Zaidul Haque, TwoCircles.net,

Kolkata: The West Bengal government of Mamata Banerjee last week issued notification to include 30 more Muslim castes in the state list of Other Backward Classes (OBC). With this addition, the number of Muslim castes in OBC has now reached 83. The government says about 87% of the Muslim population in West Bengal is now covered under OBC category. Now the total number of enlisted OBCs comprising different communities in the state has reached 143.

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The Backward Classes Department, Welfare Department of Government of West Bengal issued a notice on 11th May 2012 (Vide Memo No: 1673-BCW/MR-209/1) in continuation of the previous notice of 24th September, 2010, vide Memo no: 6309-BCW. The previous notice declared 108 total OBCs which included 53 Muslims. The notice had list of 56 More Backward OBC which is ‘A’ category and 52 Backward OBC which is `B’ category. Among the 56 ‘A’ category OBCs, Muslims were 49, six Hindus and one Buddhist. In the 52 ‘B’ category OBCs, there were only 4 Muslim castes.

The new list of May 2012 has included a total of 35 more OBCs which include 30 Muslims. Of 35, category ‘A’ has 9 castes which include 8 Muslims and category ‘B’ has 26 castes which include 22 Muslims.

Now the entire list of OBCs stands at 143 that include 83 Muslims. Of 143, category ‘A’ has 65 OBCs that include 57 Muslims and category ‘B’ has 78 OBCs that include 26 Muslims.

Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee and Union Minister Sultan Ahmed have said that now most of the Muslims in West Bengal have come under the OBC category, may be 2-3% are out of the range.

On 8th February 2010 Left Front led Govt of West Bengal under the Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharya had declared 10% Muslim OBC reservation in Govt jobs in addition to 7% OBC reservation. Currently, there is 17% reservation for OBC where 7% for B category OBC and 10% for A category OBC, 22% quota for Scheduled Castes and 6% for Scheduled Tribes in government recruitment in the state.

In Kolkata Gazette Backward Classes Department Welfare Department of Government of West Bengal issued a circular about the OBC reservation in West Bengal on 24th September, 2010 (Vide Memo No: 6320-BCW/MR-84/10). “The Governor has been pleased to reserve 10% and 7% of vacancies in services and posts for the Category-A and Category-B respectively of the Other Backward Classes under the Government of West Bengal, local and statutory authorities constituted under any State Act, Corporations in which not less than 51% of the paid-up share capital held by State Government, Universities, College Affiliated to the Universities, Primary, Secondary and Higher Secondary Schools, other educational Institution which are owned or aided by the State Government, and Police sector, to be filled up by the direct recruitment shall be reserved for the backward classes of Citizen,’ said the notice.

Along with this order it mentioned the provision of recruitment called 100 point roster that, how will recruitment be made for 10% A category OBC and 7% B category OBC out of 100 vacancies. It mentioned that out of 100 vacancies, 6th ,13th ,26th , 38th , 45th ,52nd , 63rd , 76th , 84th and 99th position of the post would be reserved for A category OBC and 9th, 19th, 29th, 49th, 59th, 69th and 89th position of the post for the B category OBC.

However, it is surprising that the Central Government list of OBCs has not included any Muslim OBC caste from West Bengal. If ‘A’ category of OBC of West Bengal is included in central government OBC list, then Muslim OBCs of West Bengal will be benefited more as there is 27% OBC reservation in central government jobs. So, some groups of Muslims have started to pressurize the Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee, who is holding the Ministry of Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education Department, and State Minister of SC/ST & Backward Classes Department, ex-CBI chief Mr Upen Biswas to enlist OBCs of West Bengal in the Central Government OBC list.

Full list of Muslim OBCs in West Bengal ( A & B Category)