Chhattisgarh: Cong, BJP clash over delay in Guv's assent to two quota bills

Raipur: The Chhattisgarh Assembly was adjourned for the day on Monday amid uproar over the delay on the part of the governor to give assent to two bills related to quota in education and jobs.

Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs Brijmohan Agrawal and Ajay Chandrakar said there was a "constitutional breakdown" in the state as the ruling party was trying to threaten the governor on the issue, while state Congress chief and legislator Mohan Markam hit back claiming the delay was deliberate as the two bills were passed in the House on December 2.

As other Congress MLAs joined Markam and started accusing the BJP of having 'double standards" and an "anti reservation agenda", the din prompted Speaker Charandas Mahant to adjourn the House two times for brief periods.

Later, BJP MLAs demanded the tabling of the report of Quantifiable Data Commission (QDS), constituted by the state government for the survey of Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) population, in the House.

Amid sloganeering, BJP MLAs trooped into the Well of the House.

Speaker Mahant announced the suspension of 11 BJP members and adjourned the House for the day.

The winter session of the Assembly resumed on Monday for five days after a month-long break. A two-day special session was held on December 1 and 2, which was then adjourned till January 1.

On December 2, the Assembly had passed two amendment bills for enhancing the overall quota to 76 per cent in government jobs and admissions to educational institutions.