According to the new order, the OBC certificate that was issued by the State Government now cannot be used to get any job or any facilities
The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday scrapped several classes as Other Backward Classes (OBC) under an Act of 2012 of West Bengal for reservation of vacancies in services and posts in the state, finding them illegal.
The court struck down several classes for reservation as Other Backward Classes (OBC) given under The West Bengal Backward Classes (Other than Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) (Reservation of Vacancies in Services and Posts) Act, 2012.
In a judgment on petitions challenging the provisions of the Act, the court stated that the services of citizens of the struck-down classes, who are already in service or have availed the benefit of reservation or have succeeded in any selection process of the state will not be affected.
According to the new order, the OBC certificate that was issued by the State Government now cannot be used to get any job or any facilities. Almost 5 lakh OBC certificates have been cancelled after this order.
The bench directed that the orders classifying 42 classes made by the state from March 5, 2010, till May 11, 2012, were also quashed, with prospective effect, given the illegality of the reports recommending such classification.
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PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI CALLS CALCUTTA HC ORDER ‘SLAP ON INDI ALLIANCE’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the Calcutta HC’s order a “slap on the INDI alliance” saying that TMC gave Muslims OBC certificates for their “vote bank politics.”
“This is appeasement. These people say Muslims have the first right over the country’s resources. These people are giving government land to the waqf board to get them to vote for them. They want to reserve a 15% budget for minorities. They want to give loans, and government tenders on the basis of religion,” PM Modi said.
WEST BENGAL CHIEF MINISTER MAMATA BANERJEE REACTS TO HC ORDER
Reacting to the Calcutta High Court’s order, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the state government will “not allow” cutting the OBC reservation of minorities.
“Even today I heard a judge passing an order, who has been very famous. The Prime Minister is saying that minorities will take away the Tapasheeli reservation, can this ever happen? Minorities can never touch the Tapasheeli or tribal reservation, but these mischievous people (BJP) get their work done through agencies, they have got the order through someone but I will not accept this opinion…Those who have given the order should keep it to themselves, we will not accept the opinion of BJP, OBC reservation continues and will always continue…” the TMC supremo said.
BJP LEADERS REACT
Union Home Minister Amit Shah reacted to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s remarks and said, “How can a CM differ from the Calcutta HC order? I cannot understand her mindset. What kind of politics is going on in Bengal? Appeasement politics will not work. We welcome the Calcutta HC order and will ensure it is implemented and no reservation is given on grounds of religion.”
Tripura CM, Manik Saha, on the other hand, called the Calcutta High Court’s order “need of the hour”.
“We have always believed in the court and the historic verdict given by the court had to happen someday. It is the need of the hour. It also shows the decisions taken by the TMC government…” he said.
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NCBC CHAIRMAN REACTS TO CALCUTTA HC ORDER
On Calcutta High Court cancelling all OBC certificates issued in West Bengal after 2010, Chairman of NCBC Commission, Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said, “The verdict of Calcutta HC to cancel all OBC certificates after 2010, in West Bengal. During our review in 2023, we saw that after 2010, 65 Muslim castes and 6 Hindu castes were added to the OBC list. We asked for a report regarding the same but the State Govt did not provide us any report…The verdict of the court is absolutely right and we welcome this…”
The bench directed the Backward Classes Welfare Department of the state, in consultation with the Commission, to place a report before the legislature with recommendations for the inclusion of new classes or for the exclusion of remaining classes in the state list of OBCs.
(With PTI inputs)
