Tensions Rise in Bengal: Protests Erupt as Mamata Govt Faces Backlash Over Cut in Muslim OBC Quota
As West Bengal approaches elections, the Mamata Banerjee government faces mounting protests over the reduction of the Muslim share in the OBC list. The move has triggered political and social unrest, with opposition parties accusing the TMC of discrimination and minority groups demanding fair representation.
Rachna Das 
As West Bengal heads toward crucial elections, the Mamata Banerjee-led government is facing intense protests following the recent decision to reduce the Muslim share in the state’s OBC list. The move has sparked widespread anger among several community groups, who allege that the government has marginalized Muslim representation in reserved categories for political gain.
The controversy erupted after a revised list of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) was released, significantly cutting down the number of Muslim sub-castes included. Opposition parties, including the BJP and Congress, have seized on the issue, accusing the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of playing vote-bank politics and betraying minority interests.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, however, defended her government’s action, stating that the new classification was based on social and economic surveys, not religious lines. Still, the unrest on the ground tells a different story, with protests intensifying across Kolkata and other districts.
With the polls drawing near, the issue has added a new layer of complexity to Bengal’s already heated political landscape, making minority representation and reservation policies a key election battleground.
