C'garh Assembly: Oppn stages walkout over reservation quota

The Opposition Congress members in Chhattisgarh Assembly today staged a walkout alleging the state government's failure in addressing the demand of the OBC people to hike their reservation quota to 27 per cent.
Thousands of people from the other backward classes (OBCs) gathered in the Outdoor stadium here today protesting the alleged biased attitude of the state government and raised their 21-point demand.
The demands include raising of reservation quota for them to 27 per cent from the present 14 per cent in education, jobs and promotions in the state.
Soon after the Question Hour, state Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel raised the issue in the House saying that the government should make its intention clear over the demands of OBCs.

Thousands of people from OBCs have gathered in the capital demanding increase in their reservation quota, he said adding that "we want the government to deliver an appropriate statement in this regard."
Joining him on the issue, other Opposition members too demanded a statement from the BJP government.

Speaker Dharamlal Kaushik repeatedly tried to make the Congress members return to their seats and participate in the listed business of the House. He appealed to them to allow the House to function and take up the call attention motions.
Congress legislator Mohammad Akbar said, even after the Supreme Court order that the total reservation should not exceed 50 per cent, the state government introduced a new reservation policy and paved way for 58 per cent reservation in educational institutions and government jobs, but still the quota for OBCs was left untouched.

Replying to the accusations, state Agriculture Minister Chandrashekhar Sahu said that only the Centre has to deal with the issue (reservation), but it was silent.
Enraged over the agriculture minster's statement, the Opposition members staged a walkout from the House.