Church confirms Jogi's status as tribal

JABALPUR, NOV. 24. The Chhatisgarh Chief Minister, Mr. Ajit Jogi, who is braving Opposition's demands to quit in the wake of the controversy over his status as a tribal, on Saturday received a shot in the arm as the Church of North India (CNI) stated that its records showed his grandfather was a tribal. The records of the Diocese of Jabalpur revealed that Mr. Jogi's grandfather was a Kanwar, a community recognised as a Scheduled Tribe, the Church of North India said in a press release.

Rt. Reverend Sunil Cak, Bishop of Jabalpur, said the Diocese of Jabalpur, which came under the Protestant Christian CNI, maintained records which showed that Mr. Jogi was a tribal. The entry number 429 in the old church register covering July 1887 to August 1918 shows Dulare Jogi from Pendra as a member of Kanwar community of the Scheduled Tribes.

The Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court had last year dismissed a petition filed by Mr. Amar Singh, a voter from Mahasamund, challenging Mr. Ajit Jogi's caste. Mr. Singh later approached the High Court's Principal Seat at Jabalpur, which also dismissed his petition in July this year and imposed a heavy fine for wasting the court's time. The Bilaspur Court granted a stay in favour of Mr. Jogi on October 22 following the order from the National Commission for Minorities.

- UNI

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Other States
Next     : Jogi explains procurement hurdles