MP Minister Pratima Bagri Gets Clean Chit As Scrutiny Panel Upholds SC Caste Certificate

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Scrutiny Committee has upheld the caste certificate of minister of state Pratima Bagri after examining its validity through a detailed verification process.

The committee, headed by principal secretary, Tribal Department, Gulshan Bamra, issued an order in this regard. With the scrutiny committee's decision giving her a clean chit in the caste certificate row, Bagri has heaved a sigh of relief.

Congress leader Pradeep Ahirwar had challenged Bagri's caste certificate, claiming that she does not belong to the Scheduled Caste (SC) category but is from the Rajput community.

Ahirwar alleged that Bagri had taken undue advantage of an SC certificate to win the 2023 Assembly election from the reserved Raigaon constituency in Satna district.

In response to the allegation, Bagri submitted her family records dating back more than 110 years to establish that she belongs to the Scheduled Caste category.

During the verification, the scrutiny committee found that the Bagri community has no marital or social dining relations ('roti-beti') with the Rajput community.

After examining the case, the committee upheld the SC caste certificate issued to Bagri, finding it to be in accordance with the law.

The committee also considered a reference from the Tribal Research Institute on the anthropology of the Bagri caste (2002-03), which helped it conclude that the Bagri community has no 'roti-beti' relationship with the Rajput community.