New Delhi, February 01: Even as Muslim leader Siddiqullah Chowdhury on Thursday hit streets demanding 15 per cent job reservation for the community, the state government decided to adopt the ‘Kerala model’ to include 28 Muslim communities in the OBC category.
At present, there are 12 Muslim communities under this category. Through this initiative, the state government aims at providing reservation to nearly half of the Muslim population in West Bengal.
“Half of the 71 per cent Hindus in the state are covered under SC/ST category, but only 2 per cent of Muslims, who form 25 per cent of the population, are covered under OBC. I am all for reservation for Muslims. But there is a constitutional bar on this matter. Therefore, we are finding other ways to help them out,” said Abdus Sattar, state Minority Development Minister.
In Kerala, over 91 per cent of Muslim population is under reservation as OBCs, more a model which Bengal is all set to follow. The move is keeping in mind the Assembly elections next year and the need to woo back Muslim voters, who since the past two years have drifted towards Trinamool Congress.
“We are increasing the number of communities under OBC to 40. This may also increase. At present, there are only 12 Muslim communities under OBC. We are working towards identifying such communities. We will place the matter with the state government within six months. Then the state government will publish a gazette notification,” said Syed Masudal Hussain, member of West Bengal Backward Classes Commission, who is entrusted with the job.
According to Hussain, at present communities like Ansaris (weavers), Qureshis (butchers) are part of OBC reservation. But now communities like Beldar (grave diggers), Abdal (sweepers), Mahaldar (fishermen), Kahar (palanquin bearers) and others will come into the fold of reservation through the OBC quota.
—–Agencies