Bhopal: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Madhya Pradesh government, headed by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, has found itself embroiled in a controversy over an affidavit submitted in the Supreme Court defending the state’s decision to enhance OBC reservation. What was expected to be a routine legal exercise has snowballed into a political storm, with critics accusing the government of endorsing “anti-Hindu” sentiments.
The controversy stems from the state’s affidavit justifying its 2024 move to raise OBC reservation in jobs and educational institutions from 14% to 27%. To back its case, the government annexed the 1983 Mahajan Commission Report—a move that unexpectedly backfired. Excerpts from the report began circulating on social media soon after, with detractors pointing out that the commission’s language allegedly portrayed Hindu traditions in a negative light.
What Sparked the Outrage?
The passages that caught public attention include references to the killing of Rishi Shambhuk by Lord Ram, the denial of archery training to Eklavya due to his Bhil identity, and the claim that the Varna system historically deprived 80% of Bahujan Shudras of basic rights. Social media users were quick to accuse the BJP government of legitimizing a narrative that vilified Hinduism.
Further anger stemmed from claims that the report referred to Hinduism as a symbol of exploitation, injustice, and evil. For BJP supporters, this was a contradiction of the party’s long-standing image as a defender of Hindu culture. “The very party that spoke of Hindu unity is now standing in court labeling Hinduism as oppressive,” read one widely shared post.
The outrage was compounded by accusations that the affidavit even called Lord Ram a casteist figure. As hashtags criticizing the Madhya Pradesh government trended online, the controversy gained momentum, with demands for the withdrawal of the affidavit.
Government’s Clarification
Faced with mounting backlash, the Mohan Yadav administration issued a clarification on October 1, 2025. Officials stressed that the controversial remarks did not originate in the affidavit drafted by the current government. Instead, they were part of the historical Mahajan Commission report submitted in 1983, during the Congress regime.
“The aforementioned report of the Mahajan Commission has been part of judicial records since it was submitted in 1983. Its presence in the Supreme Court case file is automatic and does not reflect the stance of the present government,” read the state government’s statement.
The BJP further explained that the reservation policy rests on recent data and contemporary grounds, not on the findings of the decades-old commission. Attributing the remarks to the state government was therefore misleading, it insisted.
In a strong warning to those spreading misinformation, the Madhya Pradesh government said that legal action under the IT Act would be pursued against individuals deliberately misrepresenting the affidavit.
Party Line: ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’
The BJP Madhya Pradesh unit also issued a statement on social media platform X, clarifying:
“It has come to the notice of the State Government that certain mischievous elements are circulating content on social media, claiming these are part of the affidavit submitted before the Supreme Court. Prima facie, it has been found that the excerpts belong to the Mahajan Commission report and not to the government’s affidavit. The Madhya Pradesh Government is fully committed to ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ and to social harmony.”
