Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday cancelled all OBC certificates issued in West Bengal after 2010.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, whose party Trinamool Congress (TMC) has been in power in the state since 2011, said her government won’t accept the order.
Calling it a ‘BJP conspiracy’, Mamata said the 2012 OBC reservation bill was drafted after conducting a house-to-house survey, and was passed by the state Cabinet and Assembly. The OBC reservation will continue in Bengal, the CM added.
“They got an order passed today but I don’t accept it. When 26,000 people lost their jobs because of the BJP, I had said that I would not accept it. Similarly, I am saying today, I do not accept the order. We won’t accept the BJP’s order. OBC reservation will continue. Imagine their audacity. This is a kalankit (disgraceful) chapter in the country,” Mamata said at an election rally.
A division bench of Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Rajasekhar Mantha, hearing a PIL challenging the process of granting OBC certificates, termed the OBC list prepared after 2010 as ‘illegal’.
The court directed a fresh list of OBCs to be prepared based on West Bengal Commission for Backward Classes Act of 1993 by the West Bengal Commission for Backward Classes.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was in Bengal to address election rallies, took a dig at Mamata.
“Mamata Banerjee gave OBC reservation to 118 Muslim castes without any survey. Someone went to the court, the court took cognizance of this and all the certificates issued between 2010 and 2024 have been cancelled by the HC. Mamata Banerjee wants to rob the reservation of backward classes for her vote bank and give that reservation to Muslim castes. I welcome the decision of the High Court,” stated Shah.
“Mamata ji said she does not accept the decision of the High Court. I want to ask the people of Bengal, can there be such a chief minister who will say that we do not obey the court’s order? I strongly condemn this… we will definitely ensure that the decision of the High Court is implemented,” Shah added.
