Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday asserted in the Bengal Assembly that backwardness—not religion—is the sole basis for granting OBC status.
She dismissed allegations that the state was extending reservations based on religion, citing a scientific benchmark survey by the West Bengal Commission for Backward Classes.
This comes after the Calcutta High Court in May 2024 quashed the OBC status of 77 communities, mostly Muslims.
The state challenged the decision in the Supreme Court and launched a fresh identification survey, which has so far identified 140 communities, with 50 more under review. The Bengal Cabinet has approved the inclusion of 76 new castes in the OBC list.
Meanwhile, BJP legislators protested, accusing the government of sidelining Hindu communities.