The Yogi Adityanath Government is contemplating to include 17 Other Backward Castes in the Scheduled Caste list and send its recommendation to the Centre for approval. The power to declare any caste as Scheduled Caste rests with the Centre.
Incidentally, the issue has been a major plank for Samajwadi Party as Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son Akhilesh Yadav, as Chief Ministers, had recommended the same to the Centre. The Centre has so far thrice rejected this recommendation of various regimes. This will be the fourth time that the State Government would be attempting to include 17 OBCs in the SC category.
If the UP Government’s recommendation is allowed by the Centre this time, then it would be a masterstroke to counter the rallying of OBCs and Dalits with the SP-BSP alliance as both parties are at daggers drawn on the issue.
Since 2004, the SP has maintained a consistent campaign for inclusion of 17 OBCs in the SC list but the BSP vehemently opposed the idea and demanded increase in SC quota from the present 21 per cent in the changed scenario. It also termed the move as a “conspiracy to dilute the reservation quota for Dalits”.
The SP was eager to expand its social base as the common perception about it is that it is a Yadav-centric party. Besides, the SP wanted to eat into the Dalit vote bank of bete noire Bahujan Samaj Party.
The 17 OBCs include Kahaar, Kashyap, Kewat, Nishad, Gond, Bhar, Prajapati, Rajbhar, Bind, Batham, Turha, Manjhi, Mallah, Kumhar, Dheevar, Dheemar and Machua.
The first attempt was made by Mulayam Singh Yadav as CM in 2004. The then SP Government amended UP Public Services Act, 1994, to include 17 OBCs into SC category. However, it was challenged in Allahabad High Court which later quashed the move declaring it as unconstitutional and void since the decision was beyond constitutional jurisdiction of a State Government. Mulayam also recommended it to the Center which rejected it.
The second attempt was made in 2012. Then Akhilesh as CM had set up a high-level committee headed by Chief Secretary Jawed Usmani, which sent its recommendation to the Centre only to be rejected. The SP Cabinet again adopted the proposal and recommended it to the Centre in December 2016 which was rejected.
Meanwhile, official sources said the State Government was preparing to recommend shifting of 17 OBC castes in Scheduled Caste list and the Centre this time was all set to accept it by removing legal irritants.