Congress Slams BJP Over OBC Reservation Delay in Madhya Pradesh

In a strong critique, the Congress party has accused the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh of intentionally delaying the implementation of a 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs). This comes despite the reservation having been cleared by the Supreme Court, as well as previous legislative measures being approved.

Senior Congress leaders, including former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Madhya Pradesh Congress in-charge Harish Chaudhary, argued that the BJP's delay reflects an anti-reservation mindset. They highlighted that the initial reservation of 14 per cent was introduced by Congress in 1994 and later increased to 27 per cent in 2003, only to stall under BJP governance.

Chaudhary emphasized that the High Court had dismissed challenges to the reservation policy and that the Supreme Court had upheld it, questioning the BJP's continued inertia. With the issue moving to the public sphere, Congress is escalating the pressure on the BJP government, stepping up their fight both legally and publicly.

(With inputs from agencies.)