This issue was also discussed in the meeting of the Executive of the Bharatiya Janata Party held at Rewa on June 16 and 17. According to media reports on the first day of the two-day meeting of BJP state executive committee at Rewa, the issue of reservations in promotion dominated the discussions.

The political resolution adopted at the meeting reiterated the Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s assurance given in AJAKS convention that the reservations would continue. The resolution said that the government may go to the extent of enacting a new law for that purpose. The resolution said that the Chief Minister should move forward in that direction and he would get full support from BJP workers. However, during discussions on the resolution, Chouhan’s stance also drew protests.

Executive body member Jai Singh Kushwaha said that the resolution should be amended. He said Chouhan’s statement had disturbed the mental state of 80 per cent of the office-bearers present at the meeting. Other leaders belonging to general category like MP Alok Sanjar, minister of state for education Deepak Joshi and Higher Education minister Umashankar Gupta tried to speak on this issue after Kushwaha but they were not allowed.

RSS State in-charge Vinay Sahasrabuddhe was not in agreement with government’s stance on the issue. He said there was unanimity among the central and state governments on the issue that the judgment of the Supreme Court would be acceptable. National general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said the decision of the Supreme Court should be accepted. Vijayvargiya said the issue is causing disaffection in society which should be checked.

On the other hand, BJP state president Nandkumar Singh Chouhan was in total support of the government’s stance. He said the party was clearly of the view that reservations in promotion should continue. The ministers belonging to scheduled caste category Gaurishankar Shejwar, Lal Singh Arya and Rajya Sabha MP Satyanarayan Jatia supported the CM.

It may be recalled during his address at pro-reservation rally Chief Minister Chauhan declared that nobody on earth could force him to undo the reservation in promotion (Koi Mai Ka Lal Promotion Khatm Nahi Kar Sakta). This language in which Chief Minister gave this assurance was not liked by many, including his own party men.

The Chief Minister gave this assurance at a public meeting which was organised by the pro-promotion group consisting of officers and employees belonging to scheduled tribes and scheduled caste. Government servants belonging to these categories came from various parts of the state. This rally was presided over by an officer of the rank of principal secretary. The organisers invited Chief Minister to address the rally. He was cheered repeatedly when he gave categorical assurance that nobody on earth can compel him to change the promotion policy.

It may be mentioned that the policy of reservation in promotion of government servants was declared null and void by the MP High Court. The court also declared that all such promotion done in the past should he undone.

While this decision of the High Court drew protests from the government servants of reserved categories, opponents of this policy burst into anger when the Chief Minister gave categorical assurance that the reservation in promotion policy would continue. Ever if necessary, a new law would be enacted to facilitate the present policy, Chief Minister also assured.

Almost all the officers and employees belonging to non-reserved categories held a massive rally on June 19 and threatened that if the BJP government does not act according to the High Court directive they will mobilise the public opinion to defeat the ruling party in the next elections. Several Organisations belonging to upper castes warned the BJP of the dangerous consequence of not honouring the court verdict. The rally sowed the seeds of sharp division among the government servants. Most of the speakers of this rally belonged to upper castes.

In between another group of government servants took shape. This group’s stand is that they would honour the judgement of the Supreme Court. It may be mentioned here that the state government has decided to challenge the High Court judgement.

This group also held a public meeting on June 19. Addressing the meeting Ramesh Thete, IAS official of secretary’s rank expressed concern that some politicians and some organisations are promoting social conflicts in the society in the state. “Being a bureaucrat I know how to respect the CM, but I will not touch his feet on dais,” he said.

This meeting was held June 19 to explore possibilities of a new organisation for employees and officers in the state. The proposed organisation will be equally responsible towards, deprived people of all categories of the society. The name and the banner of the new organisation will be decided later.

Thete and suspended IAS officer Shashi Karnawat organised the meeting. Thete informed that the motive of the new organisation is to build a platform, on which the bureaucrat of all category like, general, SC/ST, OBC and minority can participate equally for the betterment of the society and the state. In this organisation not only the present officers and employees, but the pensioners, will also be the members.

Thete said people not following the court decision on reservation in promotion can face contempt of court charges. He claimed that the Supreme Court is the superior authority to decide the reservation status in the country. The organisations opposing it and taking out rallies are also committing contempt of court. (IPA Service)