NEW DELHI: Four non-BJP states of Bihar, Bengal, Rajasthan and Punjab crave reservation to the OBC (Other Backward Classes) but they deny them the full quota, according to the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC).
The commission, which acquired a constitutional status in 2018, found anomalies in implementation of the reservation policy in the five states during a survey conducted between February and May this year.
In West Bengal, the Commission found Rohangiyas and Bangladeshi immigrants got the OBC certificate. As many as 179 castes in the state OBC list were from the Muslim community.
Commission Chairman Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said not a single person got the OBC reservation benefits in seven districts. The state took income of the entire family, including brothers and sisters and not just the parents to give the OBC certificates, making several people ineligible for non-creamy layer OBC certificate.
OBC Reservation in Punjab
In Punjab, the OBCs have 12% reservation and SCs 25%, taking the total quantum to 37% while the state can give 50% reservation. The state was told to increase the OBC percentage to 25%.
In Rajasthan, NCBC red-flagged seven districts with not a single OBC, though a large number of OBCs were residing in these states.
Reservation in Bihar
Ahir ridiculed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for counting the OBCs in his state until the Supreme Court struck down the exercise. The Commission has questioned Bihar giving flawed OBC certificate to the Kurmis which is a caste in Jharkhand and not in Bihar.
Bihar is also defaulted for including the agricultural income of class III and IV to calculate the non-creamy layer of OBCs for 30 years from 1993 to 2023.The OBC factor may influence the Lok Sabha elections.
