New Delhi
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Friday accused the previous BJP-led dispensation of stalling the grant of an increased reservation quota to the Scheduled Tribes in the State as per their population.
Talking to reporters after inaugurating the Chhattisgarh Tourism Conclave for National Tribal Dance Festival 2022 here, he said his government will soon move the Supreme Court for increasing reservation for tribals in the state according to their population. He said the State government has also set up a Commission in this regard and it will present its report in November.
The Chhattisgarh Tourism Board organised the conclave in the run up to the National Tribal Dance Festival that will be held in Raipur from November 1-3. Nearly 1500 artistes from nine countries and from 28 States and eight Union Territories will participate in the grand event.
Baghel said when Chhattisgarh was part of Madhya Pradesh there were 20 per cent Scheduled Tribes and 16 percent Scheduled Castes in the State. After the creation of Chhattisgarh, there were 32 per cent tribals and 13 per cent SCs in the State.
In 2005, the Centre gave its nod to granting reservation in Chhattisgarh according to population but this was stalled by the previous State government from 2005 to 2011 (when the BJP government headed by Raman Singh was in power), the Chief Minister alleged.
In 2011-12, when tribals agitated, the State government gave 32 per cent reservation to them, 12 per cent to SCs and 14 per cent to Other Backward Classes (OBCs), leading to 58 per cent reservation, he said.
Baghel further said, two committees were set up but they never presented their reports before the court and this led to the High Court annulling the decision on reservation. Reservation on the lines of Madhya Pradesh was automatically implemented in Chhattisgarh.
The Chhattisgarh High Court had last month struck down the 58 percent reservation terming it “unconstitutional”. The Court said no special case is made out for breaching the reservation ceiling of 50% while increasing the reservation to 58 percent.
“We are now moving the Supreme Court and have also set up the Patel committee in this regard whose report will be ready by November this year. We will then implement increased reservation as per the report,” he told media persons.
“The BJP’s central government is also giving one per cent less reservation to SCs and STs. They should correct that first,” he alleged.
