Lucknow: The politics of caste and reservation in Uttar Pradesh has once again reached the forefront, as Om Prakash Rajbhar, a minister in the Yogi Adityanath government and national president of the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), has thrown a new challenge that could potentially reshape the political landscape ahead of crucial elections. By proposing a three-tier subdivision of the existing 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Rajbhar has not only revived the long-pending Social Justice Committee report but has also opened a strategic debate within the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Rajbhar has suggested dividing the OBC reservation into three distinct categories — 7% for backward classes, 9% for extremely backward classes, and 11% for the most backward classes. He has written letters to prominent political leaders across party lines, urging them to support the immediate implementation of the Social Justice Committee’s recommendations, which were submitted during the tenure of former Chief Minister Rajnath Singh in 2001.
The proposal has the potential to realign caste equations in the state and poses both an opportunity and a threat to the BJP, which has built a broad coalition of non-Yadav OBCs and upper castes over the past decade.
On September 3, Rajbhar wrote to BJP National President J.P. Nadda, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav, and several other political leaders, calling for the implementation of the Hukum Singh-led Social Justice Committee report. He also sent letters to Apna Dal leader Anupriya Patel, RJD President Lalu Prasad Yadav, BSP supremo Mayawati, and Nishad Party President Sanjay Nishad.
The Social Justice Committee was constituted in 2001 by then Chief Minister Rajnath Singh to study the distribution of OBC reservation benefits. The committee aimed to ensure that the 27% OBC quota was equitably shared among different sub-categories so that smaller and more marginalised communities could also benefit. Although the committee submitted its report, successive governments have not acted upon it.
Rajbhar has now brought this dormant report back into the political limelight, framing it as an issue of “social justice” and equitable distribution of rights. In an Instagram post, he declared, “The time has come to implement the Social Justice Committee’s report immediately. The 27% OBC reservation in Uttar Pradesh should be divided into three parts so that every category gets its fair share.”
Currently, the 27% OBC quota in Uttar Pradesh encompasses a wide range of castes, including Yadav, Kurmi, Koeri, Jat, potter, goldsmith, Kahar, blacksmith, barber, shepherd, Wari, cobbler, tailor, and others. Of these, the Yadavs — traditionally considered a politically dominant group — along with Kurmis, Koeris, and Jats occupy a significant portion of the reservation pie.
Under Rajbhar’s proposed formula, 7% would be earmarked for the “backward classes,” 9% for “extremely backward classes,” and 11% for “most backward classes.” This subdivision aims to ensure that castes that have historically remained on the margins — often termed “pichhde” and “ati pichhde” — are not overshadowed by numerically stronger or more politically influential OBC groups.
Rajbhar argues that certain dominant OBC groups have cornered the benefits of reservation while smaller castes remain deprived. “This slogan is not just about implementing a report; it is the voice of every class that has remained outside the mainstream of development,” he stated.
Political observers say that the BJP faces a “double-edged sword” situation. On one hand, extremely backward and most backward groups, who have stood firmly with the BJP in recent elections, may feel alienated if the government does not support Rajbhar’s demand. On the other hand, dominant OBC groups could revolt if their share of the reservation is curtailed.
The Samajwadi Party, led by Akhilesh Yadav, has historically drawn strong support from the Yadav community and allied OBC groups. The SP has in the past succeeded in uniting several backward castes under its umbrella. Political analysts believe that if the BJP mishandles the issue, the SP could seize the opportunity to attract disgruntled groups and rebuild a broad caste coalition.
