Minister Bagri’s caste certificate fake: Cong leader

Bhopal: Congress Scheduled Caste cell chief Pradeep Ahirwar on Tuesday accused minister of state for urban administration Pratima Bagri of obtaining a fake caste certificate, claiming that she is a Rajput and not a Dalit.Ahirwar demanded her dismissal from the cabinet and assembly, along with criminal action against her and the officials who issued the certificate.Bagri, 37, is the daughter-in-law of late BJP leader Jugal Kishore Bagri and won Raigaon (SC) seat in the 2023 assembly election, defeating Congress' Kalpana Verma. A first-time MLA, she was inducted into the Mohan Yadav-led council of ministers.Ahirwar said, "Minister of state Pratima Bagri is from Rajput category and not SC. The Bagri community that is on SC list in MP traditionally made leaf plates." In 1976, the Bagris of Satna, Panna and Vindhya, who were Rajputs, claimed to be SC to take advantage of reservations in govt recruitments and politics, Ahirwar claimed."Rajput Bagris have never been subjected to untouchability unlike SC Bagdis. They have large properties of 25 acres, 50 acres and even 500 acres. Just because the surname is the same, the manipulation happened," Ahirwar said.He said govt issued an order in 2003 to all collectors that Bagris of Vindhya, Mahakaushal and Bundelkhand cannot be considered as SC. In 2007, a central order also said that SC certificates should be given to Bagris who are not Rajputs, he said."Pratima Bagri used her political clout and got the fake certificate issued. She has deprived the rights of a true SC person by contesting from a reserved seat. If I am wrong, then let her send me a defamation notice and I will register a case of cheating and fraud against her," Ahirwar said.He accused Pratima Bagri of making a fake caste certificate to contest the election and become minister. "I ask chief minister Mohan Yadav, state BJP president VD Sharma and the entire BJP leadership, how do they claim to work for uplift of SCs when there is a minister with a fake certificate?" he said, urging BJP to get her to resign so that bypolls can be held in Raigaon. He said he will take the matter to police, chief secretary and scrutiny committee.