MP OBC Reservation Row Intensifies As High Court Maintains 14% Quota, BJP And Congress Trade Blame

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The political parties have begun to blame each other after the court decided on the OBC reservation.

The Congress leaders said the BJP government's failure to argue the case strongly in court deprived the OBC of 27% reservation.

On the other hand, the BJP blamed the Congress for it. The BJP leaders said the Congress lacked a proper study of the OBC reservation case before bringing the ordinance in 2019. So, the government lost the case in court.

MPCC president Jitu Patwari said the fight had been for the rights of over 50% of people in the state.

The court rejected the petition because of the government's weak pleading and its failure to put up enough data about the social and educational backwardness of the people of the OBC category.

Patwari said the Congress would fight the OBC in the Supreme Court. He urged the government to file a special leave petition in the Supreme Court and hold an assembly session to inform the people about its plans for the OBC.

Congress leader Kamal Nath said the OBC had got a reservation during his tenure as chief minister.

After coming to power, the BJP government paid little attention to the issue; it lost the case in the court, he said.

BJP Govt will give 27% quota to OBC come what may: Khandelwal

BJP's state unit president Hemant Khandelwal has said the BJP government will give 27% quota to the OBC come what may. He also said the Congress had increased OBC reservation from 14% to 27% to woo voters in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

According to Khandelwal, the court grants permission to exceed the 50% reservation limit under special circumstances. When the Congress increased the reservation, it did not mention that point.

He further said it was the BJP government which gave constitutional recognition to the OBC Welfare Board.

The government will take a decision after seeking advice from lawyers.