In Madhya Pradesh, the Congress party has launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led state government over the delay in implementing 27% reservation for the Other Backward Classes (OBC). Senior Congress leaders Bhupesh Baghel, Harish Chaudhary, Jitu Patwari, and Anil Jaihind jointly accused the BJP of deliberately depriving the OBC community of their constitutional rights. Bhupesh Baghel stated that this issue is not just about reservation—it is about social justice, equality, and the very spirit of the Constitution. He questioned why the state government remains silent even after the Supreme Court has validated the 27% reservation, suggesting it does not intend to grant the OBC community their rightful share.
Harish Chaudhary, who is also the Congress in-charge for Madhya Pradesh, recalled that in 1994, then Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh granted 14% reservation to the OBCs, which was later increased to 27% in 2003. When the Congress returned to power in 2019 under Kamal Nath, the government issued an ordinance and passed it in the Assembly to implement the reservation. However, the BJP government shelved it after coming back to power. Jitu Patwari sharply criticized the BJP for misleading OBC students for years, with recruitment halted and competitive exams stalled, all under the pretext of pending court matters—even though the Supreme Court, on January 28, 2025, clearly ruled that 27% reservation is valid and should be enforced without delay.
Anil Jaihind questioned the BJP’s intent, claiming the party neither believes in social justice nor in equality. He said the BJP’s consistent stance has been to suppress the backward, Dalit, and marginalized communities. Despite two clear observations from the Supreme Court, the government is still avoiding implementation, he added.
The Congress outlined four key demands: immediate enforcement of 27% OBC reservation, prompt recruitment of pending candidates, disbursement of back wages to eligible individuals, and a public apology from Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Minister Mohan Yadav to the people of the state.
Congress leaders further alleged that the BJP’s continued delay reveals its insensitivity and lack of commitment toward the OBC community. The party has declared that this fight will not stop and that it will continue to raise its voice for the rights of the backward classes across every platform. The Congress also warned the BJP that if the reservation is not implemented soon, a statewide public movement will be launched. “When the Constitution guarantees equal rights to all, why is the OBC community still being denied their due?” the leaders asked.
