NEW DELHI: The Rajya Sabha on Monday witnessed a demand for the inclusion of state OBC castes in the central OBC list by BJP OBC Morcha national president and Rajya Sabha member Dr K Laxman.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Dr Laxman, who is also a member of the BJP’s Central Election Committee (CEC), informed the House that several OBC communities in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra are recognised in their respective state OBC lists but have not yet been included in the Central list of OBC castes. “That too, despite recommendations made by the National Commission for Backward Classes,” he said in the House.
Laxman stated that the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) has already recommended the inclusion of 27 castes from Telangana and five from Andhra Pradesh in the central list of OBC castes. “I urged the government to take necessary steps to include these communities in the central list of OBC lists so that they can receive the benefits and opportunities they rightfully deserve. This will ensure greater social justice and empowerment for backward communities across the country,” he said.
Raising the issue in the Upper House, Laxman further said that there has been a long-standing demand to include several OBC communities from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra in the Central OBC list.