Overview
- Speaking during Zero Hour on Monday, BJP MP K. Laxman accused Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala and Telangana of extending Other Backward Classes benefits to Muslims, prompting noisy protests and a walkout by Opposition members.
- Laxman cited specific examples, including a 4% slot for Muslims in Karnataka, about 97% inclusion of Muslim communities in West Bengal’s OBC list, near 95% coverage in Tamil Nadu with a 3.5% share, a rise in Kerala from 3% to 12%, and a 4% quota in Telangana that he said a High Court struck down.
- He called for a comprehensive review of what he termed religion-based inclusion, argued that the Constitution ties quotas to social and educational backwardness, invoked B. R. Ambedkar, and referenced Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu High Court rulings.
- Leader of the House J. P. Nadda defended Laxman’s intervention and said the Opposition disrespected parliamentary procedure by walking out, accusing rivals of vote-bank politics.
- No central review or policy change was announced, and the dispute remains a political and legal fight likely to play out in courts and state administrations that manage OBC lists.