Decision to remove Muslims from the list of OBCs is a Toxic Mix of Communalism and Casteism by BJP

AISA condemns the BJP-led Karnataka government’s unconstitutional decision to scrap reservation for Muslim OBCs.

In a completely arbitrary decision taken by the BJP-led Karnataka government on 25.03.2023, the reservation for Muslims under the category of OBCs has been scrapped and distributed the quota among two dominant communities –  Vokkaligas and Lingayats. In fact, Home Minister Amit Shah has hailed the regressive decision of the Karnataka Government.

For the fact, Muslim OBCs have been included in the list not because of their religion, but based on their socio-economic conditions and recommendations by L.G Havanur and Chinnappa Reddy Commission. That was later only reaffirmed by Sachar Committee Report. Clearly, the communal politics of BJP in Karnataka has taken this decision so that they could use it as ‘political mileage’ in their narrative of Hindutva Supremacy in the upcoming state elections at the cost of socio-economic conditions of Muslim OBCs.

This decision also goes against the Supreme Court’s Judgement in Indira Sawhney case which says that any addition or deletion of a community from the list of categories that have rights of reservation must be based on empirical data-based study by the commission. But contrary to it, what happened is BJP government taking decision without any final recommendation from Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes. This is only in continuation of blatant and systematic attempts by BJP government to structurally weaken the backward communities and further marginalise them.

Recently in a post-budget webinar, PM Narendra Modi said, “among our minorities, especially among Muslims we have Pasmanda Muslims. How we have to take benefits to them… as even today, after so many years of Independence, they remain far behind.” Pasmanda constitute backward sections of Muslims. But it becomes clear that these words by PM Modi were only part of BJP’s Jumla for electoral benefits. While in reality, all that the BJP government in Karnataka has done is taken away the right that has been for the improvement of their socio-economic conditions of OBC Muslims.

We have also seen that there has been a consistent effort to marginalise minority students in Karnataka, with the ban on hijab in educational institutions, the slashing of scholarships of minorities at the State and rollback of Maulana Azad National Fellowship by the Centre. Social Justice provisions enable opportunities to socially marginalised communities to avail quality and affordable education by breaking the hierarchies that hinder their progress. However, there seems to be a proactive effort to exclude Muslim students from availing education.

It has become a matter of routine for BJP to sabotage the idea of social justice for the marginalised in the country. For example, the adoption of EWS quota against the perceived aim of constitution makers and basic feature of constitution has been a mere political tool for BJP government to appease Upper Castes. By providing 10% reservation based on ‘economic criteria’ and at the same time excluding Dalits, Adivasis, and OBCs from having its benefit falling under same economic criteria only exposes the divisive agenda of BJP. Notwithstanding, social discrimination based on caste system being main reason for backward/disadvantaged group in India, the government’s implemention of EWS as poverty alleviation program is against the tenets of reservation envisaged by our constitution makers.

Moreover, one needs to pay attention to what has been happening in the past few years in name of social justice. By failing to fill over 30 lakh Central Government jobs which are lying vacant, the Modi Govt has shown how it’s not bothered at all about social justice and reservation policy. As private sectors refuse to properly adhere to reservation policy, whole concept of social justice through reservation is being rendered meaningless in employment opportunities.

Similarly, the New Education Policy 2020, which is replacing public-funded education model to loan-based corporate education model, has not used the word ‘reservation’ in its whole document, implying that the New India under Modi doesn’t care about social justice policies in education sector as well.  

Therefore, BJP’s corporate-communal politics and anti-people stance has declared an all out attack from every front against the common people of this country. Curtailment of rights of minorities and backward classes given in education and employment opportunities have been constantly exposing the propoganda and lies of Modi government which talks about ‘Sabka Sath-Sabka Vikas’. Clearly, poor, marginalised, and minorities do not fall in the BJP’s idea of ‘Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas’, as from time and again its policies and decision has been against the principles of social justice.

AISA demands that the decision of BJP led Karnataka government of scrapping reservation of Muslim OBCs must immediately be revoked.