Maharashtra food and civil supplies minister Chhagan Bhujbal took a sarcastic dig at Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Friday, suggesting his demands are growing while the state government feels increasingly helpless.
Speaking to reporters, Bhujbal, who previously criticized Jarange, jokingly recanted his past words. "I now take back everything I said before. I even support all of Jarange's demands. Who are OBCs? They're small, poor people," Bhujbal said sarcastically. "But the government is helpless," he concluded.
Bhujbal, a veteran OBC leader and founder of Mahatma Phule Samata Parishad, disagrees with the Eknath Shinde-led government's decision to issue Kunbi (OBC) certificates to Marathas based on historical records for reservation benefits. This policy clashes with his concerns that it might dilute existing OBC quotas.
His remarks came a day after three state ministers met Jarange and urged patience with the government's response to his demands. However, Jarange maintained his December 24 deadline, threatening community protests if the government doesn't clarify its stance on the quota law and issuing Kunbi certificates by then.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde previously indicated a potential special legislative session in February 2024 to consider Maratha quotas after reviewing a Backward Class Commission report. Though Bhujbal and other OBC leaders express concerns about potentially diluted quotas, Shinde maintains that existing reservations won't be affected.