Ex-Chhattisgarh CM Ajit Jogi to approach court over govt panel's finding on his tribal status

Former Chief Minister and Chhattisgarh Janata Congress founder Ajit Jogi on Tuesday said that he will approach the court against the high-power government committee's finding that declared him a non-tribal.

He alleged that the "Bhupesh empowered" caste scrutiny committee's finding was politically motivated.

"This is a Bhupesh empowered committee which has found that I am not an Adivasi. I am yet to get a copy of the report but I will have to challenge the committee's finding in the court," he said at a press conference here.

Jogi's announcement came after the government committee, constituted on directions of the High Court found that Jogi is not entitled to benefits meant for the tribal communities.

He said it was apparent that the committee acted on chief minister Bhupesh Baghel's instructions who had announced on August 9 that the report on his caste would be out within a month.

"I was given a hearing before the committee," he claimed.

"Congress state president Mohan Makram had also said that I am not a tribal. So they had declared me a non-tribal on August 9 itself which has now been announced by Bhupesh empowered committee," he said.

He said that a court had earlier ruled that I belong to a tribal caste. "In a case, the Chhattisgarh High Court has found that my son Amit Jogi is a Kanwar tribal of Mudi gotra. If my son is Adivasi, how come I am not?" he asked.