kolkata

IIE DIGITAL DESK : Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday firmly stated that reservations under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category in the state are not granted on the basis of religion, amid an intensifying political row triggered by allegations from the BJP that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government has been extending benefits unfairly to Muslim communities.

Addressing a press conference in Kolkata, Banerjee clarified that OBC status in Bengal is determined by social, educational, and economic backwardness—not by religious identity. “We have never provided OBC reservation on religious lines. It is done based on the recommendations of the Mandal Commission and state-level assessments. The BJP is trying to spread misinformation to create division and confusion among communities,” she said.

The statement came in response to the BJP’s recent attack over a Calcutta High Court verdict that cancelled OBC certificates issued to several Muslim groups post-2010, calling them "politically motivated" and lacking due process. The BJP has since accused the TMC government of using religious appeasement in its reservation policies.

Slamming the opposition, Banerjee said, “They are trying to disturb communal harmony by targeting minorities. We follow the constitutional procedure for reservation. BJP wants to erase social justice and target marginalised communities for their vote-bank politics.”

She further alleged that the BJP’s propaganda machinery is trying to distort the truth ahead of the upcoming assembly by-elections and the 2026 general polls. “When elections approach, they talk about religion and reservation to polarise voters. But the people of Bengal are aware. They will not be misled,” Banerjee said.

The Chief Minister also mentioned that the West Bengal Commission for Backward Classes operates as an independent statutory body, and its recommendations form the basis for OBC categorisation. “We have always respected constitutional values and court rulings. If there is a court directive, we will examine it and take lawful action. But branding an entire policy as religious appeasement is wrong and dangerous.”

While the Calcutta High Court verdict struck down OBC status for 77 classes added between 2010 and 2011 under the TMC government, the state is planning to move the Supreme Court. Sources in the state administration confirmed that an appeal is likely to be filed soon.

The BJP continues to mount pressure, with state party president Sukanta Majumdar claiming that “Mamata Banerjee has betrayed the SC, ST, and Hindu OBC communities by diverting their quota share to Muslims.” He demanded a fresh caste survey and a revision of the state’s OBC list.

The issue has become a political flashpoint, with both sides mobilising supporters. In several parts of North Bengal and Kolkata, TMC organised rallies asserting that the state stands for inclusive development, while BJP units conducted protest marches claiming “Hindu rights were being ignored.”

The controversy also has national reverberations. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during a recent visit to Bengal, accused the TMC of "tampering with constitutional safeguards for vote-bank politics," hinting that the issue will be a key talking point in BJP's campaign in the state.

With the political temperature rising, the debate over reservation and communal identity is likely to dominate Bengal’s discourse in the weeks to come. Mamata Banerjee’s categorical denial of religion-based OBC quotas reflects the TMC’s attempt to strike a balance between protecting its secular image and holding on to its diverse support base amid an aggressive opposition narrative.