Chhattisgarh tribal quota slashed from 32 pc to 20 pc after HC order: Cong, BJP blame each other

The opposition BJP on Saturday accused the Congress government in Chhattisgarh of failing to protect the reservation rights of Scheduled Tribes and alleged the quota for them came to down to 20 per cent from 32 per cent due to the latter's negligence.

The BJP, which took out a foot march till Raj Bhawan, submitted a memorandum to Governor Anusuiya Uikey seeking a directive to the Bhupesh Baghel government to take steps to restore reservation benefits for tribals.

Talking to reporters, BJP's legislature party leader Narayan Chandel said his party's government in 2012 had raised the reservation quota of tribals to 32 per cent from 20 per cent and its benefits were being availed since 2012.

"However, the 32 per cent reservation benefit was discontinued from last month due to the negligence and irresponsible attitude of the state's Congress government. Now, tribal youth are bearing its brunt. The matter (of reservation hike) was pending in court and the Congress government should have argued with full preparedness," he said.

"The Baghel government took the matter lightly and did not hire a senior lawyer to defend the case. As a result of the Congress government's negligence, now tribals are facing loss of 12 per cent reservation. There is huge anger among tribals in Surguja and Bastar division as recruitment to various vacant posts have been withheld," he further alleged.

The Chhattisgarh High Court last month set aside the state government's 2012 order to raise the quota to 58 per cent in government jobs and admissions in educational institutions holding that reservation exceeding the 50 per cent ceiling was unconstitutional.

Following the decision, reservation for tribal communities, which comprise about 32 percent of the state's population, declined to 20 per cent.

Hitting back, state Congress chief Mohan Markam said the opposition was shedding crocodile tears over tribal reservation.

"Why did the Raman Singh government not present rational reasons for increasing reservation before the court for six years (as BJP was in power till 2018)? Why did the then BJP government slash the reservation of Scheduled Castes by 4 per cent, which prompted people to go to court," he asked.

In a statement, Markam said a committee headed by then Home Minister Nakiram Kanwar was constituted while another committee under the chairmanship of then chief secretary was formed to raise quota percentage but the previous BJP government did not submit reports of both the panels in the court.

He blamed the then Raman Singh government for the discontinuation of 32 per cent quota for tribals.

After the HC's recent order, Chief Minister Baghel had said his government would approach the Supreme Court in appeal.