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BJP MP claims all Muslims get OBC reservation in non-NDA states
The opposition walked out in protest, which prompted the leader of the House in Rajya Sabha, JP Nadda, to criticise the move.
BJP lawmaker K Laxman on Monday alleged in the the Rajya Sabha that several opposition-ruled states were including all Muslims in quotas meant for Other Backward Classes (OBC)s, thereby flouting established conditions for reservation, which led to the opposition walking out of the House.
Speaking during Zero Hour, Laxman said OBC reservation was being misused in the name of religion and that states such as Telangana, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala had included all Muslims in the quotas meant for OBCs.
He stated that this inclusion contravenes the reservation policy, which does not provide quotas based on religion, and demanded a review. He also cited judgments by the Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu high courts that questioned the practice of extending the OBC quota to all Muslims.
“There should be a comprehensive review of such religion-based reservations,” Laxman said, amid protests from the opposition.
The opposition walked out in protest, which prompted the leader of the House in Rajya Sabha, JP Nadda, to criticise the move. He said the opposition, particularly the Congress, has been “disrespectful of the Constitution and parliamentary proceedings.”
He criticised the walkout, saying the INDIA alliance is neither interested in debates nor does it respect democratic values or the Constitution. Nadda alleged that opposition parties consider Muslims a vote bank and indulge in appeasement politics.
In the past, the BJP had criticised the TMC government in Bengal for including several Muslim groups in the OBC list between 2010 and 2012. In Karnataka, too, the party had targeted the Congress government for providing 4% reservation to Muslims in government contracts.
