The 'Nari Shakti Vandan Act', which gives one-third share to half the population in the country, has been passed by the Parliament. 33 percent seats in Lok Sabha and Assembly will be reserved for women. However, BJP's firebrand leader and former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Uma Bharti has adopted a rebellious stance regarding OBC quota not being fixed in the Women's Reservation Bill. Uma Bharti has called an important meeting of OBC leaders in Bhopal on Saturday (23 September), in which they will brainstorm on not giving OBC quota in women's reservation. It is believed that amidst the political heat of assembly elections, this attitude of Uma Bharti can increase political concerns for BJP?
After the Women's Reservation Bill was passed by the Parliament, former Chief Minister Uma Bharti tweeted on Thursday that after the Lok Sabha, the Women's Reservation Bill has also been passed by the Rajya Sabha with full majority. Now a way for another amendment has to be found to give place to the backward classes, hence discussions were held with the prominent leaders of the backward classes in and around Bhopal city. It has been decided to call another big meeting for OBC participation in women's reservation on Saturday. In this way, Uma Bharti has started a strategy to sharpen OBC politics by holding a meeting with her close leaders.
Big objection on not giving reservation to OBC
Uma Bharti has adopted a tough stance regarding the demand for OBC quota in the Women's Reservation Bill. As soon as the bill was approved by the Cabinet, Uma Bharti had raised the demand of OBCs and now she has openly opened a front against BJP. He has said that I felt very hurt when women's reservation was passed without fixing the OBC quota. I have always been opposing the bill on this very issue. From Deve Gowda to Atal government and UPA government, I have been raising the issue of OBCs. Even when I was a minister in the Modi government, I had expressed my objection to bringing women's reservation without OBCs.
Uma Bharti said that LK Advani and Gopinath Munde have always supported the issue of OBC in women's reservation. He said that I have also been telling BJP that without OBC support base and without winning the trust of OBC society, BJP cannot come to power. The OBC community also expressed trust in us, but we have broken that trust in one fell swoop. Due to constitutional validity, they have given reservation to SC-ST community, but did not include OBC. In such a situation, women from OBC category will not be able to come, but wives of bureaucrats and leaders will come and sit in the Parliament. Uma Bharti said that the OBC community is scattered, due to which they have been successful in bringing this bill.
BJP's political tension may increase
The way Uma Bharti has raised the issue of OBC amid the political excitement of Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, it may increase political tension for BJP. OBC voters have played an important role in BJP's continuous victory in MP. There are more than 50 percent voters of the OBC community in the state, who are demanding to increase their 14 percent reservation already available in the state to 27 percent. Kamal Nath government also decided to increase OBC reservation, but is stuck in legal trouble.
Congress is continuously trying to garner the votes of the OBC community in Madhya Pradesh and is promising everything from caste census to increasing OBC reservation. In such a political environment, Uma Bharti opening a front demanding OBC quota in women's reservation may create problems for BJP. Uma Bharti herself is an OBC leader and at one time BJP had made a move to attract OBC votes in Madhya Pradesh by putting her forward, which was also successful. But now Uma Bharti is talking about OBCs losing faith in BJP, while Congress leaders have started talking about becoming OBC well-wishers.
In Madhya Pradesh, 50 percent OBC class has the power to make or break the game of any party. At present there are 60 OBC community MLAs in the state, but they have their influence on more than 100 seats in the state. BJP has maintained a strong hold in the state by putting forward leaders from the OBC community like former CM Uma Bharti, former CM Babulal Gaur and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Congress has understood that it is not possible to come to power without OBCs. In such a situation, Congress is now trying to connect different castes of backward classes as part of a special strategy to win over OBC voters. In such a situation, the way Uma Bharti has adopted a rebellious stance on the OBC issue may increase concern.
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