nA delegation of six tribal Congress MLAs on Wednesday urged Chhattisgarh Governor Anusuiya Uikey to probe the caste certificate of Richa Jogi, wife of Amit Jogi, a former MLA of Marwahi, and cancel it.
Kanker MLA Shishupal Sori led the delegation which included Inder Shah Mandavi, U.D Minj, Gulab Kamro, Mohit Kumar Kerketta and Purushotam Kanwar.
The MLAs told the media said there is suspicion over the caste certificate of Richa Jogi. The Marwahi Assembly seat is reserved for Scheduled Tribe. Former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi had represented the seat but his caste certificate was cancelled on August 23, 2019.
The MLAs pointed out that Richa Rupali Sadhoo is a Christian and is now wife of Amit Jogi. Her family during the course of education never claimed the benefits of tribal community. The land holding of the family is also not registered in the tribal category.
The paternal family of Richa also does not have many connections with the tribal community. They demanded that the caste certificate has to be probed and cancelled.
They said that during the Assembly election of 2018, as candidate for Akaltara constituency, she had left the caste column blank.
She had also deposited Rs 10,000 as security deposit which was generally fixed for a general category candidate. The Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates pay a security deposit of Rs 5,000.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued to the media, Amit Jogi stated that he has learnt from newspapers that some persons have raised objection regarding the caste of Dr Richa Jogi. The Collector is to have stated that he would seek a reply from Richa through an official route.
Till date, no notice from the Collector has been received nor has the District level Search Committee been constituted legally.
Amit Jogi said the state government may initiate a one-sided action through the Collector, and vowed to approach the Governor to seek her intervention.