Baghel accuses BJP of stalling OBC quota implementation
New Delhi, June 28 (UNI) Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Bhupesh Baghel today attacked the BJP, accusing it of deceiving the Other Backward Classes (OBC) community while pretending to champion their cause.
Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here, Baghel along with senior leaders Anil JaiHind, Jitu Patwari and Harish Chaudhary said, 'The true nature, character, and face of the BJP have now been exposed. Once again, it has been proven that while the BJP showcases the face of the OBC community, it actually betrays their interests.'
The former Chhattisgarh CM said that in 1994, fourteen percent reservation was granted to the OBCs, which was later increased to 27 percent during the tenure of then Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh in 2003. He however claimed that the BJP failed to implement this increased quota, even under the leadership of three OBC Chief Ministers—Uma Bharti, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Mohan Yadav.
Questioning the delay, Baghel said that there are no legal impediments to implementing the reservation. 'When the bill has been passed in the Assembly, approved by the court, and signed by the Governor, what is stopping the government from implementing it?'
He also pointed to the unanimous decision of the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly on December 2, 2022, to provide 27 percent reservation to the backward classes.
Baghel claimed that the Governor had assured publicly that she would not delay the bill if passed. However, despite the bill being sent to the Raj Bhavan on the same evening, the Governor reportedly said she was 'still studying' it, a process that remains incomplete even in mid-2025.
'This ongoing delay is a gross misuse of authority,' Baghel said, claiming that even the Supreme Court has reprimanded this inaction on multiple occasions.
Terming the situation as 'deeply unfortunate,' Baghel alleged that the BJP is not only anti-OBC and anti-farmer but also displays blatant disregard for constitutional values.
'The refusal to implement Assembly-passed, court-backed bills is a living example of the BJP's anti-democratic character,' he added.
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