RAIPUR: Intervening in the issue of reservation for the Scheduled Tribes that is reverberating in the state, Chhattisgarh Governor Anusuiya Uike has written to Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel to call a session of the Assembly to pass a bill or seek the resolution of the problem through an ordinance.
In her letter, Uike has immediately sought the details regarding the tribal quota being slashed to 20% following the order of the Chhattisgarh High Court, and what course of action the state government has taken to restore the reservation of the ST community.
“Various political and non-political organisations besides the federations of officers and workers are demonstrating at different levels, demanding the restoration of the reservation. There is resentment among the tribal communities and law and order situations can arise. Chhattisgarh being the most noticeable tribal state, it is my responsibility as the Governor to safeguard the interest of the STs while ensuring the basic essence of the Constitution remain as top priority,” Uike stated in her letter.
The governor assured the state government that full support from the Rajbhawan will be given on the issue.The high court had on September 19 this year quashed the 58% quota in educational institutions and jobs as “unconstitutional”.
With this decision, the reservation for tribals has come down from 32% to 20% while for the SCs the quota has gone up from 13% to 16%, with 14% remaining for the OBCs.Following the court’s order, the issue of reservation for tribals has gathered steam ahead of the Assembly elections due in the state next year.
Former CM Raman Singh, who is also the BJP national vice-president, said that the ruling party didn’t present the case effectively in the court, due to which the government’s decision was struck down. In 2012, the BJP regime led by Singh had raised the quota to 58% in educational institutions and government jobs.
After the high court’s order, the Chhattisgarh government has constituted a panel of senior lawyers Kapil Sibbal, Mukul Rohatgi and Abhishek Manu Singhvi to put across the state’s perspective before the Supreme Court in the matter.