The survey is done in the castes on a total of 35 points including education, population and economic basis.
Months ahead of the crucial 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in the State has started preparations to include 39 castes in the list of Other Backward Castes (OBC) in the State. The Chairman of State Backward Classes Commission, Jaswant Saini, has said that the commission will soon send a recommendation in this regard to the Uttar Pradesh government.
According to the information, the 39 castes which may be included in the OBC list include Bhutia, Agrahari, Dosar Vaish, Jaiswar Rajput, Ruhela, Muslim Shah, Muslim Kayastha, Hindu Kayastha, Barnwal, Kamalapuri Vaish, Core Kshatriya Rajput, Dohar, Ayodhyawasi Vaish, Kesarwani Vaish, Bagwan, Omar Bania, Mahour Vaish, Hindu Bhaat, Bhatt, Goria, Bot, Panwaria, Umaria, Nowana and the Muslim Bhat.
Apart from these, a survey has to be done for the castes like Vishnoi, Khar Rajput, Porwal, Puruwar, Kunder Kharadi, Binoudhia Vaish, Honorable Vaish, Gulhare Vaish, Gadhaiya, Radhedi, Pithbaj etc.
Saini has said that the work of survey of castes is going on continuously on the basis of the representation. A Survey of 24 castes has been done, while 15 castes are yet to be done.
The survey is done in these castes on a total of 35 points including education, population and economic basis. After the completion of the survey work, the State Backward Commission will give its recommendation to the government. The government will make the final decision on including them.
The step to include 39 castes in the OBC list ahead of UP elections can be a masterstroke for the ruling BJP which has been wooing the OBC voters in a big way. This comes after the announcement of the central government to give 27% reservation to the OBCs in NEET. The OBC community constitutes a big chunk of votes in Uttar Pradesh and that is why nearly all the parties are now focusing on OBC voters.
