Karnataka: Muslims included in list of OBCs for reservation in employment, educational institutions

The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) on Wednesday confirmed citing the data from Karnataka government, all castes and communities of Muslims of Karnataka have been included in the list of other backward classes for granting reservation in employment and educational institutions under the state government.

As per the 2011 Census data, Karnataka has a Muslim population of 12.92 per cent. "Under category II-B, all Muslims of Karnataka state have been considered as OBC," the NCBC said. The commission said that in category-1, 17 Muslim communities have been considered as OBC whereas 19 Muslim communities have been considered as OBCs in category-2A.

The 17 Muslim communities that have been considered as OBCs in category 1 are Nadaf, Pinjar, Darvesh, Chapparband, Kasab, Phulmali (Muslim), Nalaband, Kasai, Athari, Shikkaligara, Sikkaligar, Salaband, Ladaf, Thikanagar, Bajigara, Johari and Pinjari.

The NCBC said that currently, even the backward and Dalit communities have started protesting against the social discrimination of lower-caste Muslims by their upper-class counterparts such as Syeds, Sheikhs and Pathans.

Due to this discrimination, weaker and downtrodden Muslim communities like Kunjre (Raayan), Julahas (Ansari), Dhuniya (Mansuri), Kasaayi (Qureshi), Fakir (Alvi), Hajjam (Salmani), and Mehtar (Halalkhor) among others present themselves as a part of the Pasmanda community, the order mentioned.

"The Muslims in India are not untouched by the social divisions in their community," the NCBC mentioned. Previously, the NCBC said the blanket categorisation of Muslims as a backward caste undermines the principles of social justice, particularly for the marginalised Muslim castes and communities identified as socially and educationally backward.

However, the NCBC emphasised that while there are indeed underprivileged and historically marginalised sections within the Muslim community, treating the entire religion as backward overlooks the diversity and complexities within 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 stated.

The NCBC also voiced concern over the impact of such reservations on the overall framework of social justice, particularly in the context of local body polls.

While Karnataka provides 32 per cent reservation to backward classes in local body elections, including Muslims, the Commission stressed the need for a nuanced approach that accounts for the diversity within these communities.