After a protracted legal battle which lasted 16 years, the high power committee of Chhattisgarh government decided the caste status of former chief minister Ajit Jogi and concluded that he is not a ‘tribal’.
The committee was formed after the Supreme Court verdict in the matter in October 2011. In 2001, BJP leaders Santkumar Netam and Nandkumar Sai had approached National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Nandkumar Sai, former MP and state BJP president, had complained that Ajit Jogi was claiming the status of a tribal through forged documents.
When the complaint was made before SC/ST Commission, Ajit Jogi had approached the Bilaspur High Court saying that commission does not have the right to decide on his caste. His application was upheld by the court. The complainants challenged this order before Supreme Court. The apex court in October 2011 directed the state government to form a high power committee and decide upon the case.
In pursuance with the court order, a committee under chairmanship of Meena Babsahab Kangale and three other members—G.R. Churendra, S.R. Tandon and G.M. Jha—was formed. The committee did not take a decision for long, but was forced to decide when a new deadline of May 31, 2017 was fixed.
Reacting to the decision of the committee, which is yet to be formally presented in the court, Ajit Jogi said, "I have come to know that the committee has decided that I am not tribal. If I am not tribal than they should also tell who I am." He said that he will go to court against the decision, as the procedure was not followed by the committee. The decision was signed by just one member when there were five members, he said.
Jogi, a former IAS officer of MP cadre, had resigned from all India services to become Rajya Sabha member from Congress party in 1986, when Rajiv Gandhi made him Congress nominee from MP.
Though Ajit Jogi did not take advantage of his caste while appearing for the IAS exams, he had been contesting elections from the seats reserved for tribals. The controversy over the caste of Ajit Jogi has been haunting him since the last two decade.
The matter was raked up in 2001 by BJP when Jogi was appointed as the first chief minister of Chhattisgarh. Jogi was chief minister of Chhattisgarh for three years between November 2000 to November 2003. He lost his government to BJP and the BJP has continued to rule Chhattisgarh.
Last year, Ajit Jogi was expelled from Congress party for his anti-party activities. He had floated a new regional party even after which his wife and son continued to be MLAs from Congress.
