Maharashtra: Centre selling public undertakings, depriving intended beneficiaries of quota, says Chhattisgarh CM

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday alleged that the BJP-led Central government is "anti-reservation" and selling public undertakings like Railways and Air India so that intended beneficiaries are deprived of quota.

Baghel made the comments during the Other Backward Class (OBC) meet held at Shegaon in the Buldhana district of Maharashtra.

Maharashtra minister Yashomati Thakur, state Congress president Nana Patole, AICC secretary Ashish Dua and other leaders of Congress attended the meet, a statement said.

"We are fighting to give reservations to OBCs. But the BJP's government at the Centre is anti-reservation," the statement quoted Baghel as saying.

He said that quota gives benefits to government jobs, but the Centre is "selling" the companies owned by it.

"The government is selling undertakings like Railways, airports and Air India. How will one get reservation benefits if the public undertakings won't be there? The BJP government is selling these undertakings so that (communities concerned) don't get reservation benefits," the Congress leader alleged.

He alleged that a "big conspiracy" was hatched to keep people away from getting the benefits of reservation.

Baghel pitched for fighting for quota and also against the "sale" of government companies.

He said Congress has always supported scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and OBCs.

Patole accused the Union government of ignoring various demands of OBCs.

A joint forum of Central trade unions has called for a two-day nationwide strike beginning Monday against various policies of the government, including the alleged privatisation agenda.

Published on: Monday, March 28, 2022, 06:28 PM IST