Chhagan Bhujbal Vows Protests Against Maratha Quota Decision, Accuses Government of Fooling OBCs

A simmering political storm erupted in Maharashtra as senior OBC leader and state minister Chhagan Bhujbal announced protests against the government's Maratha quota decision. Following a meet with OBC legislators and leaders, Bhujbal declared protests outside residences of MLAs, MPs, and tehsildars on February 1st.

During the gathering, a resolution was passed calling for the annulment of the draft proposed by the chief minister on January 26, which had conceded to the demands put forth by Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange. We will gather outside the residences of MLAs, MPs and tehsildars to protest against the current decision of the state government that is taking illegal ways to offer reservation benefits to the Maratha community. We will also hold an Elgar rally from Marathwada to unite OBCs against such decisions, he told reporters.

Steps are taken to fool the OBCs in the state. When a clear definition of relatives is stated in the law, why changes have been made illegally? Induction of Marathas into OBCs will push the existing backward classes out and they will be deprived of the reservation benefits, said Bhujbal. Notably, Bhujbal, who belongs to the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar which joined the government last July, has been criticising the Shinde-led dispensation over its handling of the Maratha quota issue.

The announcement comes on the heels of Jarange discontinuing his indefinite fast for the Maratha quota, following the government's acceptance of his demands. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had assured that until the Marathas receive formal reservation, they would receive all the entitlements enjoyed by the OBCs. Critically, the government issued a draft notification recognizing all blood relatives of Maratha community members with Kunbi caste records as Kunbis, thereby qualifying them to claim the Kunbi (OBC) certificate.

He alleged that Sunil Shukre, who heads the Maharashtra State Commission for Backward Classes (MSCBC), is active in the Maratha reservation movement. This is a conflict of interest as the head of such commission should not have any soft corner (for Marathas), Bhujbal added.

He claimed Shukre is already inclined towards granting the reservation to the Maratha community, which is against the principles of the post he is holding. The state government has appointed (Sunil) Shukre as the chairman of the MSCBC. The Indra Sawhney vs Union government case shows the heads of such backward commissions are supposed to be impartial. But Shukre had met Jarange who is protesting for reservation for Marathas.

Shukre is also a member of another committee helping the state in the curative petition (filed in the Supreme Court against its decision to scrap Maratha quota), he said. We (OBCs) were told that the reservation for OBCs will not be touched but the state (government) is now trying to give a backdoor entry to Marathas by issuing Kunbi caste certificates to them. This move will snatch the reservation benefits from more than 300 OBC castes and it will be taken by Marathas only, he said.