The tug of war in Chhattisgarh between the Congress government and Governor Anusuiya Uikey intensified Thursday with Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel attacking Uikey, alleging that she was stalling the reservation amendment Bills at the behest of the BJP. CM Baghel charged, “It is binding on the Governor to follow the advice of the Cabinet, but it is regrettable that she is not following this constitutional arrangement. If the Governor does not even accept the opinion of the people's representatives in the Assembly, it is also unconstitutional.” The latest row between CM Baghel and Governor Uikey has been raging over the two amendment quota Bills – Chhattisgarh Public Service (Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes Reservation) Amendment Bill and Chhattisgarh Educational Institutions (Reservation in admission) Amendment Bill – passed by the state Assembly unanimously on December 2, which provide for a total of 76% reservation in government jobs and educational institutions to various caste categories. As per these Bills, the Scheduled Tribes (STs) will get a quota of 32 per cent, Other Backward Classes (OBCs) 27 per cent, Scheduled Castes (SCs) 13 per cent and the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) 4 per cent in the tribal state. Baghel has been targeting Uikey after she declined to give her assent to the Bills and instead sent 10 questions to his government over it. The government sent its reply to these questions to the Raj Bhavan on December 25 but the Governor has still unofficially expressed dissatisfaction. Raj Bhavan sources told The Indian Express that the government's reply was “unsatisfactory”. “Not even a single question has been answered properly. No data has been provided at all. The Governor is waiting to receive a proper reply from the state government. Only after that she will take appropriate decisions on the Bills,” sources claimed. CM Baghel hit back at the Governor Thursday, slamming the Raj Bhavan for its unofficial response through a press release that he called an “eyewash”. He also tweeted a four-page open letter to the Governor in Hindi, joining issue with her without naming her. In his letter, Baghel charged that the Governor was using "delaying tactics" to stall the Bills. If OBC is given as per population ratio then 50% quota ceiling will be breached anyway, he said. The CM also stated that the SCs and STs have been guaranteed reservation by the Constitution, adding that 40% of people in Chhattisgarh are below the poverty line, asking the Governor what more justification was needed for the quota amendment Bills. He maintained that it is binding on the Governor to follow the advice of the Council of Ministers. On a question posed by the Governor whether 76% reservation will affect the efficiency of administration, Baghel responded: "Are you saying that if more numbers of SCs, STs and OBCs are recruited then they will not have the potential and the government will function badly?” In the letter, the CM also said, “We will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu and request them to include these Bills in the 9th Schedule of the Constitution,” urging the Governor to give her assent to the Bills. The face-off between the Baghel government and the Raj Bhavan has also sparked a slugfest between the Congress and the Opposition BJP, with the latter staunchly backing the Governor on the issue. Speaking to the media, Baghel said, “Advisasi samaj has protested already. The Congress is going to protest. OBCs are planning a protest. The BJP is pushing this peaceful state towards protests. The BJP should make its stand clear on whether it wants reservation for OBCs and EWS. Does the BJP not want hike in reservation for SCs and STs?” Baghel charged: “BJP is against OBC reservation, which will also thwart the reservation for tribals, SCs and poor. Why is the BJP not appealing to the Governor to clear the Bills and is instead opposing it? Raman Singh (ex-CM) and BJP supported the Bills in the Assembly and are now opposing it. This is their policy and the public is seeing this.”
