The political stir has intensified before the 2026 assembly elections in West Bengal. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has made a big accusation on the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) of the state, saying that the government is conducting a caste sample survey, which aims to benefit the Muslim backward castes (OBCs) and ignore the Hindu OBC community.
BJP accused of appeasement
According to the report of India Today, BJP General Secretary Jagannath Chatterjee while talking to the media said that this survey is being done only for political appeasement. He claimed that the West Bengal government is collecting economic information of Muslim communities so that government benefits can only be given to them, while the Hindu OBC class should be deprived of it.
Chatterjee said in his statement,
“This survey of TMC government is being done only to benefit Muslim OBCs. This is a well thought out strategy, which is an open example of vote bank politics and appeasement. ”
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BJP told the survey divisive
BJP leaders say that the questions of survey have been prepared in such a way that they can divide among the communities. Chatterjee said that some disputed questions have been included in the survey, such as –
- “How is water facility in your area?”
- “Do you share food with your neighbors?”
The BJP leader alleges that efforts are being made to incite communal tension. They said,
“Such questions have never been asked in history before. This is clearly a thoughtful trick to divide the society. ”
He also reminded that the Calcutta High Court had already declared the OBC list illegal, and now the matter is pending in the Supreme Court.
Calcutta High Court canceled OBC list
Significantly, in 2024, the Calcutta High Court held the OBC list released after 2010 by the West Bengal government. The court had said that in this, some sections of the Muslim community were unconstitutionally given the benefit of OBC reservation.
After this decision, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee moved the Supreme Court, and the matter is currently under consideration.
Mamta Banerjee accused BJP of election rigging
On the other hand, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of manipulating the voter list. He claimed that a large-scale voter list has been tampered with in the state and the same epic (electronic photo identity card) number has been reusted in different states.
Mamta Banerjee gave a 24 -hour ultimatum to the Election Commission and said that she should accept her mistake.
Will political tension increase in Bengal before 2026 elections?
This allegation between BJP and TMC has warmed Bengal politics more warm before the 2026 assembly elections.
- The BJP alleges that the government is benefiting Muslim OBCs.
- TMC claims that the BJP is rigging the election.
- The High Court has already declared the OBC list illegal, but the case is pending in the Supreme Court.
