CM Bhupesh Baghel attends function at Constitutional Club in New Delhi
Raipur, August 26
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said his government’s decision to increase OBC quota in the state was just a step towards better implementation of recommendations of Mandal Commission.
Addressing an award function organised by the “Samvidhan Bachhao Sangharsh Samiti” at the Constitutional Club here, the chief minister said the state government has been working towards implementation of basic principle of the constitution.
He said that the government has taken various efforts towards reducing wealth gap between the rich and the poor and one such step was increasing the reservation quota for OBCs.
Former Rajya Sabha MP Sharad Yadav presented the BP Mandal ‘Samajik Ratna’ award to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. Member of Parliament from Rajya Sabha P L Punia, Anil Jai Hind of “Samvidhan Bachhao Sangharsh Samiti” and other dignitaries were present at the function.
Describing the reason behind providing 32 per cent quota to ST, 13 per cent to SC and 27 per cent to OBCs, the chief minister said that these sections of the society have been raising their demands peacefully and it was the duty of his government to protect their constitutional rights.
He further said that his government believed that farmers and workers, who mainly belong to SC and OBC, were the most economically and socially deprived sections of the society.
“The work that ought to have been done for the progress of the backward section since the independence is unfortunately still pending. They got reservation but remained deprived. They were given rights but only in parts. They have been deprived of their rights sometimes in the name of the Constitution and sometimes in the name of the Supreme Court’s verdict,” he added.
The chief minister said, “We have clearly understood that instead of shouting the false slogan of doubling the farmer’s income, if it is done in reality the entire society is benefitted.”
He said, “I am giving an example to explain how it is done. When we gave money to farmers and tendu patta workers, the market which was hit by demonetization got rejuvenated. Businesses began to increase. Today, the country’s automobile sector has witnessed a fall of 30 per cent. But, Chhattisgarh is the only state where it has registered a growth of 15 per cent. This means the automobile sector in the state has grown 45 per cent.”
The chief minister said that his government was committed towards better implementation of policies and provisions.
“My government’s intentions are pure that we want to work towards better implementation of policies. We know that it is a long way and a long fight. We have set new standards of development and are trying to revive the rural economy and environment with our initiative of Narwa Garwa, Ghurwa and Baadi programme,” he added.
Terming the Chhattisgarh government’s decision to increase reservation from 58 per cent to 72 per cent as “bold step”, Rajya Sabha MP Punia said deprived sections could be uplift by providing reservation and the state government has set a precedent by increasing the reservation for SC, ST and OBCs.
Yadav said that the state government has taken a “historic step” towards upliftment of deprived sections of the society and other states should also emulate the decision of increasing reservation.
Thanking the organization for conferring the award on him, the chief minister said that it was his privilege to have received the award on August 25, which is also the birth anniversary of B P Mandal, who was behind the Mandal commission report.
The chief minister said that some forces have been trying hard to create a line of social division in the country and completely remove reservation system. He added that time has come for all of us to stand together in a fight against social integration and social justice.
