Desh Bachao Ganamancha — a civil society group considered close to the Trinamool Congress and formed to raise voter awareness of the BJP’s subversive ways — on Thursday alleged that the RSS was trying to abolish the reservation system in the country.

The allegation comes a day after Calcutta High Court scrapped other backward classes (OBCs) certificates issued after 2010.

The verdict — that has termed the process of OBC classification illegal — is likely to affect nearly five lakh people in the state.

The civil society members comprising former Trinamool Congress minister Purnendu Basu, Rajya Sabha member Dola Sen, and journalists Suman Bhattacharya and Rantideb Sengupta were critical of the OBC judgment of Calcutta High Court.

“RSS has always advocated against the reservation system and the mentality of the RSS and the BJP was clear when they challenged the state government’s decision to provide reservation to OBCs and the minority community of the state. If they (BJP) come to power, they will abolish the reservation system in the country,” Bhattacharya told a press conference here.

Basu who addressed the media alongside Bhattacharya said: “This process to give reservation to the OBCs was not initiated by the ruling Trinamool Congress but was a continuation of the previous Left Front government’s
policy. The present government only accelerated the process so that the backward class people could enjoy the benefits.”

The civil society members expressed their apprehension that the present government at the Centre was not only destroying the democratic fabric of India but also trying to push the country towards a grave problem by creating a religious divide among the people.

“Our Prime Minister is making provocative statements that are creating a rift among different religious communities. This can create a religious disturbance,” Sengupta said and added that “(Narendra) Modi has realised that the BJP will be defeated in this election and so he is making desperate attempts”.

Several members of Desh Banchao Ganamancha also accused the Election Commission of India of favouring the ruling BJP.