New Delhi: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Friday said his government will soon move the Supreme Court for increasing reservation for tribals in the state according to their population.
He said the state government has also set up a commission in this regard and it will submit its report in November.
Baghel was talking to reporters after inaugurating the three-day Chhattisgarh Tribal Festival here, the first such initiative in the national capital to promote tribal art and culture.
When Chhattisgarh was part of Madhya Pradesh, there were 20 per cent tribals and 16 per cent Scheduled Castes (SC) in the state. After the creation of Chhattisgarh, there were 32 per cent tribals and 13 per cent SCs in the state, the chief minister said.
In 2005, the Centre gave its nod to granting reservation in Chhattisgarh according to population but this was stalled by the previous state government from 2005 to 2011, he alleged.
In 2011-12, when tribals agitated, the state government gave 32 per cent reservation to them, 12 per cent to SCs and 14 per cent to Other Backward Classes (OBCs), leading to 58 per cent reservation, he said.
Later, two committees were set up but they never presented their reports before the court and this led to the high court annulling the decision on reservation, Baghel said, adding that reservation on the lines of Madhya Pradesh was automatically implemented in Chhattisgarh.
"We are now moving the Supreme Court and have also set up the Patel committee in this regard whose report will be ready by November this year. We will then implement increased reservation as per the report," he told reporters here.
On the BJP's criticism on the issue, Baghel said the saffron party is against reservation. There are no employment opportunities available as the BJP sold airports and other establishments to private parties. So, where will they give reservation? "The BJP's central government is also giving one per cent less reservation to SCs and STs. They should correct that first," he alleged.
Baghel said earlier tribals used to think roads were laid for security personnel but now their mindset has changed. Now, they are demanding that roads be constructed and believe that the new roads are for them.
"The two main demands of tribals are opening of banks and schools in tribal areas as they feel their children should get education and they are also earning more money by selling products," he said, adding that the state government has taken a number of initiatives for marketing of tribal arts and products.
He said earlier there were about 150 tribal products available at C-Mart, state government-run stores that sell rural products, but now there are 800 products.
Around 45 lakh people have benefited from various health schemes launched by the state government, Baghel said.
The government has started camps in buffer zones as it felt that all tribals are not Naxals, he said, adding that now people can travel at night in tribal areas which were once considered dangerous even during the day.
Earlier, Baghel met Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence and congratulated him on being elected the new Congress president.
Baghel said he will attend Kharge's taking over ceremony on October 26, which will also be attended by all other party leaders.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)