The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) has criticised the CM Siddaramiah-led Congress government’s decision to classify the whole Muslim community as a backward caste for reservation under OBC quota in Karnataka, saying that such blanket categorization contradicts the ideals of social justice.
As per the data submitted by the Karnataka Backward Classes Welfare Department, all Muslim castes and groups have been classified as socially and educationally backwards under Category IIB on the State List of Backward Classes.
This decision of the Congress govt in Karnataka to include all Muslims as OBC has confirmed what PM Narendra Modi had said just a couple of days ago. On Sunday (21st April), PM Modi launched a scathing attack on the Congress party for including the ultra-leftist agenda of ‘Wealth redistribution’ promised by Rahul Gandhi.
While addressing an election rally in Banswara, Rajasthan, PM Modi said that if it comes to power, the Congress party will snatch gold, silver, ornaments like Mangalsutra, property, etc and distribute them among people having more children, illegal immigrants and Muslims. He also reminded how Congress leaders earlier had claimed that Muslims have the first right to resources in the country.
During a field visit last year, the NCBC looked at the state’s OBC quota policy in educational institutions and government jobs.
In its statement the NCBC said on Monday (22nd April), “All castes/communities of Muslim religion of Karnataka are being treated as socially and educationally backward classes of citizens and listed as Muslim Caste separately under Category IIB in the State List of Backward Classes for providing them reservation in admission into educational institutions and in appointments to posts and vacancies in the services of the State for the purpose of Articles 15(4) and 16(4) of the Constitution of India.”
As per the data from Karnataka government, all castes and communities of Muslims of Karnataka have been included in the list of OBCs for reservation in employment and educational institutions under the state govt. Under Category II-B, all Muslims of Karnataka state have been… pic.twitter.com/eh1IYF3FX0
— ANI (@ANI) April 24, 2024
This classification has resulted in the allocation of reservation benefits to 17 socially and educationally backward castes under Category I and 19 castes under Category II-A.
According to the NCBC, categorising Muslims as a backward caste violates social justice principles, particularly for marginalised Muslim castes and groups that have been categorised as socially and educationally backward.
The NCBC, however, underlined that, while there are disadvantaged and historically marginalised groups of the Muslim community, presenting the entire faith as backward ignores the diversity and intricacies of Muslim society.
“The religion-based reservation affects and works against ethics of social justice for categorically downtrodden Muslim castes/communities and identified socially and educationally backward Muslim castes/communities under Category-I (17 Muslim castes) and Category II-A (19 Muslim castes) of State List of Backward Classes. Hence, socially and educationally backward castes/communities cannot be treated at par with an entire religion,” the NCBC said.
The NCBC also expressed concern about the influence of such reservations on the entire framework of social justice, particularly in relation to local body elections.
Since Karnataka provides 32% reservation for backward classes in local body elections, including Muslims, the Commission emphasised the importance of a sophisticated approach that takes into account the diversity of these communities. As per the 2011 Census, Muslims account for 12.92 percent of the population of Karnataka.
