india

Updated: Aug 27, 2019 17:16 IST

Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi’s claim to tribal status has been rejected by a government-appointed committee, which also revoked all his caste certificates and withdrew all benefits that members of Scheduled Tribes are entitled to.

The high powered committee -- set up on the directions of High Court was headed by DD Singh, secretary of department of primitive caste -- concluded its probe on August 21. The committee has also directed the Bilaspur collector to take action under the provisions of Rule 23 (3) and 24 (1) of Chhattisgarh Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes (Regulation of Certification of Social Status) Rules, 2013.

At the same time, under the provisions of Rule 23 (5) of Rule 2013, police has been instructed to confiscate the certificates of Jogi.

However, Ajit Jogi’s son Amit Jogi claimed that committee has not followed any rules. “They have submitted blank papers to the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh who has himself prepared the report. The committee has not followed the principal of justice. We will challenge the committee decision in the court. The CM is having political vendetta against my father and me,” said Amit Jogi.

In 2001, senior BJP leader and former Chairman of National Commission for Scheduled Tribe Nand Kumar Sai and another Sant Kumar Netam had challenged Jogi’s tribal status in the high court.

The high court had said in its judgment that the National Commission for Scheduled Castes / Tribes did not have the right to determine, investigate on caste but Netam went to Supreme Court challenging the decision.

The Supreme Court had decided on October 13, 2011 that the government should resolve the caste case of Ajit Jogi by forming a high-powered committee.

Subsequently, six members of the committee on June 27 2017 revoked all caste certificates of Ajit Jogi. But the former CM went challenged this decision in High Court and on February 21 2018, High Court directed the state government again to reconstitute the committee under the chairmanship of DD Singh.