The Most Backward Social Justice Committee (MBSJC), which constituted by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath earlier this year has submitted its report. The committee was set up to suggest ways for striking a caste balance in society in terms of reservation.
According to a ‘The New Indian Express’ report, the MBSJC committee has suggested a three-way division of 27 per cent quota provided to OBCs to accommodate the Most Backward and Extremely Backward classes and the same formula to provide Maha-Dalits and Ati-Dalits with reservation benefits from 22. 5 per cent SC/ST quota.
In fact, the committee was set up to explore the possibilities of carving out ‘quota within quota’ for Maha Backwards and Maha Dalits out of the 27 per cent provided to OBCs and 22.5 percent granted for SC/ST respectively.
The Committee has also suggested dividing Dalits into three categories: Dalits, Ati Dalits and Maha Dalits. It further recommended that the first two categories should get 7 per cent reservation each, the third category should be allocated 8 per cent quota.
The MBSJC has recommended dividing OBCs subcastes into three categories – pichda, ati pichda aur sarvadhik pichda (backward, very backward and most backward). While 12 subcastes have been put in the backward category, 59 have been placed in very backward and another 79 have been put in the most backward category. Each group is expected to get 9 per cent reservation of the total 27 per cent allotted for OBCs.
Such an arrangement would extend the benefits of reservation to those who deserve it the most without unnecessarily expanding the overall quota system. However, two allies of the ruling BJP have different views on such an arrangement. The BJP’s frenemy and the Chief of BJP’s ally SBSP, Om Prakash Rajbhar, wants the report to be implemented.
The Hindustan Times has quoted Om Prakash Rajbhar saying, “The chief minister’s decision would have a bearing on the 2019 Lok Sabha polls as implementing the report of the social justice committee would please various influential subcastes whose vote matters in elections but which have traditionally been deprived of the various reservation benefits.” He further added, “Naturally many of these subcastes have been devoid of reservation benefits, a situation that would change once the report is implemented.”
Rajbhars are the OBC subcastes and vote bank of SBSP. It has not got any benefits if reservation and that’s SBSP’s chief is pushing for the quick implementation of the report to solidify his vote bank. In contrast, BJP’s other ally, the Apna Dal is not enthusiastic about the report. Apna Dal’s Arvind Sharma said, ” We believe that until a fresh caste-based census is undertaken it wouldn’t be easy to arrive at a logical conclusion on numbers that each subcaste has and the exact percentage of benefits that have reached them.” Apna Dal’s vote bank is Kurmi or Patel voters which make considerable 24 per cent of OBCs in UP.
The Samajwadi party has accused the BJP of to dividing the castes for electoral benefits. The BSP has maintained silence on the report.
