Baghel asks PM to conducts national census with separate code for OBCs

CM Baghel demands PM Modi to conduct national census & include separate code for OBCs.

RAIPUR

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Tuesday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding that the national census be conducted and a separate code for other backward classes be included.

He said that “despite the efforts of the State government”, people belonging to other backward classes or OBCs were not being provided the benefits of 27% reservation in Chhattisgarh. He said denying constitutional rights to a major part of the population will inevitably cause angst. 

In his letter, the CM said Bill[s] to implement 32, 13, 27 and 4% reservation for Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes and EWS respectively [in government jobs and educational institutions] passed by the Chhattisgarh Assembly last year were awaiting the Governor’s approval.

“In April 2023, I had sought 27% reservation for other backward classes of Chhattisgarh State and inclusion of this subject in the 9th Schedule of the Constitution [that puts it beyond judicial review]. I am sure you will agree that it is necessary to provide reservation to the large population of OBCs, who have been deprived of socio-political rights for centuries,” Mr. Baghel wrote. 

Big issue in Chhattisgarh

Ahead of the elections, reservations are a hot topic in Chhattisgarh, especially since last year when the HC set aside two old laws providing 58% reservations. In coming up with those Bills, the previous Raman Singh government had kept the 14% reservation for OBCs intact as in undivided MP while adjusting the quota for SCs and ST, in accordance with the share of population in the new State.