BHOPAL: Politics over OBC reservations continues in the state. Former chief minister Kamal Nath on Tuesday was felicitated by several OBC associations for initiating the 27% reservation for the community during his 15-month tenure.
However, soon after the felicitation programme at Manas Bhavan here in the state capital, a war of words broke out between BJP and Congress – each claiming to be the real benefactors of OBCs, which have around 52% strong population in the state.
In March 2019, Nath, the then chief minister, announced increasing reservations for OBCs from 14% to 27%. However, exactly a year later, the Nath government was brought down before the change could be implemented. The Congress government fell on March 20, 2020.
On Tuesday morning, more than a dozen OBC associations felicitated the veteran Congress and LoP. The associations included the Yadav Samaj, Kurmi Samaj, Kirar Samaj, Kushwaha Samaj, Rawat Samaj, Patel Samaj, OBC Mahasabha, Pichhra Varg Samaj Sangh, Rashtriya Pichhra Varg Adhikari Sangathan, Pichhra Varg Sanyukt Sangharsh Morcha, Pichhra Varg Adhivakta Manch among others.
Speaking at the function, the Nath said, “Reservation was your right and I decided to give that right to you.” He said that after independence, former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru chose to end the Zamindari system. “And it was the OBC category that benefitted the most because of the termination of the Zamindari system,” Nath said, adding that 52% of the state’s population came under OBCs but most of them are struggling with unemployment.
“If the future of youth is in the dark, then how will the state progress? If the youth are unemployed, what will be the future of the state? My government took steps to ensure that 70% employment opportunities are given to the local youth,” Nath said.
Ruling BJP reacted claiming Nath had paid for his felicitation.
Minister for medical education Vishwas Sarang said, “Kamal Nath is spending money to get felicitated. It is fine that he reached for the felicitation function. But from the dais, he should admit and apologise for all the hindrance in the implementation of reservations of OBCs.”
BJP said that Congress filed petitions in the High Court and Supreme Court to scuttle the OBC reservation implementation in the local body elections.
Minister for backward classes and minority welfare Ram Khilawan Patel said, “The OBC organisations that are honouring Kamal Nath are affiliated to the Congress party. Nath did nothing for the benefit of OBCs.”
Congress reacted strongly to Vishwas Sarang’s allegation.
PCC spokesman Narendra Saluja said, “Vishwas Sarang is extremely close to CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan. He knows all about the chief minister’s strategy, how sponsored functions happen. Crores are spent from the government treasury for such events when buses bring party workers and women of self-help groups from the districts. BJP should come and see Kamal Nath’s programme where no bus has to be sponsored and yet the crowds were massive.”
