Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday expressed concern over what she described as a “false campaign” by the Opposition regarding OBC reservations.
The remarks were made during a Cabinet meeting at her chamber in the state Assembly.
According to sources, Banerjee instructed ministers — especially those representing constituencies with significant OBC populations — to take responsibility and disseminate accurate information to counter the Opposition’s “misleading narrative”.
Earlier in the day, addressing the assembly, Banerjee asserted that the Opposition was spreading misinformation about the OBC list. “This list wasn’t created by us. It is based on the Mandal Commission’s recommendations. OBC is not exclusive to Muslims. People from all communities are included. No one has been selectively favoured,” she said.
She clarified that out of 140 backward classes listed in the state, 80 are Muslim communities and 60 are non-Muslim. “Muslims form more than 30 percent of Bengal’s population, and this has been the case since Partition. None of us were born then. Blaming the current government is baseless,” she added.
Banerjee acknowledged that during reclassification, some Muslim communities were shifted from OBC-A to OBC-B or removed from the list, which has led to discontent. However, the West Bengal Commission for Backward Classes has stated that the list can be reviewed if necessary. Citizens may approach the commission with objections.
She emphasised that the OBC list was not based on religion but on the socio-economic status of communities. All steps were taken in compliance with court directives and proper procedures.
Banerjee reiterated that the updated OBC-A and OBC-B lists were drawn from a scientific benchmark survey by the Commission, ensuring only genuinely backward communities were included, irrespective of religion.