Eye on 2022 polls, Yogi Adityanath government set to include 39 castes in OBC list

The caste equations are far wide open in Uttar Pradesh this time ahead of the assembly elections next year. While the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party are organising conferences in an outreach to Brahmin voters, the BJP is playing its cards strategically to retain power in the state. According to a news report, the Yogi Adityanath government is preparing to include 39 castes in the list of Other Backward Castes (OBC) in the state.

According to a News18 report, the State Backward Classes Commission will soon make a recommendation in this regard to the Uttar Pradesh government. This was informed by the Chairman of the commission Jaswant Saini.

Notably, the central government is in the process of getting a bill passed in Parliament which seeks to restore the power that will enable states and UTs to make their own OBC lists. The opposition has already said that it will support the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Seventh Amendment) Bill 2021.

These 39 castes are Vaish, Jaiswar Rajput, Ruhela, Bhutia, Agrahari, Dosar, Muslim Shah, Muslim Kayastha, Hindu Kayastha, Core Kshatriya Rajput, Dohar, Ayodhyawasi Vaish, Barnwal, Kamalapuri Vaish, Kesarwani Vaish, Bagwan, Bhatt, Omar Bania, Mahour Vaish, Hindu Bhaat, Goria, Bot, Panwaria, Umaria, Nowana and the Muslim Bhat.

The commission will also do a survey for the castes like Vishnoi, Khar Rajput, Porwal, Puruwar, Kunder Kharadi, Binoudhia Vaish, Honorable Vaish, Gulhare Vaish, Gadhaiya, Radhedi, Pithbaj etc to see their eligibility.

The chairperson informed that the caste survey work is being carried out on the basis of the representation. Of the 39 castes, a survey of 24 castes has already been completed and a survey for 15 castes will be completed in the coming days.

Only after the survey, a final list will be prepared. However, the BJP government will make the final decision on including them in the OBC list.

Notably, those coming under the OBC category enjoy certain reservations in government jobs and college admissions as well. The move to include more casts may work as a masterstroke in the run-up to assembly polls but will also toughen the competition for the reserved seats.

Recently, the central government has announced to give 27 per cent reservation for the OBCs in NEET. The Modi government had also played out the caste card safely during its recent cabinet expansion.