‘Am I Sitting in Bengal or Bangladesh?’: NCBC Head Says Muslims Castes in State OBC List ‘Lop-Sided’

The issue is not with Muslims, but how their castes have increased over time, National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) chairman Hansraj Gangaram Ahir told News18 as the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal has accused the BJP of communalising the situation ahead of Panchayat polls.

Till 2009, there were only 66 OBC castes, including 12 of Muslims, in West Bengal, which was increased by 41, all of them being Muslim castes. From 2011 till now, more Muslim castes have been added, making it a total of 118 castes on the state OBC list, while Hindu OBC castes have remained only 61, Ahir explained to News18. There are 179 castes on the state list of OBC castes.

“The state government told me that the population of Hindus is 70% and that of Muslims was 27%. Why are there 118 Muslim castes and 61 Hindu castes? I feel the castes have been made wrongly. These are not there even in Mandal Commission. We have asked for these to be removed and mistakes to be corrected,” Ahir said.

He also said he has not come across any other state that has double the Muslim castes than Hindus ones. “There is no other state with such extreme level of hoodwinking. We have raised some issues in other states too, but Bengal is an extreme case where Muslim castes are double than that of Hindus.”

Ahir has alleged that the West Bengal Commission for Backward Classes is “not doing the right job”. “I asked them if I am sitting in Bengal or Bangladesh? If such loot is done against Hindus, then NCBC is there to check it. If they (Bengal commission) feel they have done the right job, then I can’t say anything. I don’t have faith in the commission.”

He further said, “As a chairman of NCBC, I feel there is injustice done. The original castes of both Hindus and Muslims have suffered. For me, it isn’t about politics or which state government is present there. I feel the parameters have not been kept in mind on how to add castes in OBC list, that’s why the increase is lop-sided.”

He also questioned the role of the Cultural Research Institute (CRI), which is the scientific and technical wing of the Backward Classes Welfare Department of West Bengal. Ahir said CRI told them that they survey what jobs people are doing to decide caste status. He questioned, “If a person is doing a certain job, does that mean they belong to a certain caste?”

“When we went to Kolkata in February, I was told many Muslims have been added to OBC list as they have converted from Hinduism. My question is even if I take this conversion on face value, were all of them OBC to begin with? On what basis were they added?”

He even said when the Bengal government was asked for details of all those who have converted from Hinduism to Islam, where and when, the government had no data. “They even told us one of the Muslim castes added has roots in Bangladesh. Then why was it added to the OBC list?”

Ahir shirked off allegations of politics against him, saying he has been given a responsibility to fight for OBC rights and has taken an oath that he will do no politics. “I am only presenting the facts that have come to light”.

BJP leaders, including party president JP Nadda, have accused Trinamool of favouring Muslims in the OBC list ahead of Panchayat polls.

The Mamata Banerjee government had in June 2012 passed a Bill in the West Bengal Assembly to include Muslims in the OBC list, who had 17% reservation in government jobs and higher education.

The demand to include Muslims in the OBC category was raised during the Left regime after the Sachar Committee’s recommendations, which had shown socio-economic conditions of the Muslims of West Bengal.