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NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal
OBC leader and Maharashtra Minister Chhagan Bhujbal took issue with Maratha leader Jarange-Patil’s stance over the OBC quota on Friday. He said the Maratha community should not be given reservation from the other backward class (OBC) category. He wanted to know how paperwork proving Marathas were Kunbi OBCs were being discovered all of a sudden
In an interview to a vernacular channel, Mr. Bhujbal, a key member of the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction, said soon there will be no more Marathas left in the state, only Kunbi OBCs.
“What is going on in Maharashtra? He [Jarange-Patil] wants to transform Marathas into Kunbis by insisting they be given OBC certificates. There will come a time when there will be no Maratha left in Maharashtra, only Kunbis,” said Mr. Bhujbal, who is the State Food and Civil Supplies Minister.
Climate of fear
The NCP leader, a bitter adversary and the most vocal opponent of Mr. Jarange-Patil, alleged that the quota activist’s pressure tactics had resulted in an atmosphere of fear across the State, to which even the State government was succumbing.
“It would be a fallacy to think that the leadership of the Maratha community is with Jarange-Patil. Many joined him out of fear after homes of NCP legislators [in Beed district] were torched. Such is the pressure that even Justice Shinde (heads the committee looking into the Maratha reservation issue) himself is running everywhere. The government is giving in to this pressure,” said Mr. Bhujbal.
He criticised Jarange-Patil for his “fickle” demands, alleging that the Maratha quota activist had, at first, only demanded that Marathas in Marathwada be considered as OBCs and given Kunbi OBC certificates.
“Now, he wants the entire Maratha community across Maharashtra be made Kunbi OBCs. How is this possible?” Mr. Bhujbal said.
The NCP leader, who is spearheading the OBC counter-assault against Jarange-Patil, is to hold another OBC rally on November 26 in Hingoli district.
Marathas will remain
Issuing an angry riposte, Mr. Jarange-Patil said that Mr. Bhujbal was simply unable to digest the fact that the Marathas would be getting a quota by December 24.
He said that Marathas were not finished as a caste, just because they were to get reservation under the Kunbi OBC category.
“How could we pressurise the government? Are we powerful enough? We are poor farmers, peacefully agitating for our just rights. Does it befit you [Mr. Bhujbal] to make such allegations against us?” Mr. Jarange-Patil said.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole targeted the ruling BJP for “trying to create a divide between the Maratha and OBC communities.”
“The Maratha-OBC dispute is entirely government-sponsored. The BJP is behind Mr. Bhujbal… The Congress’ position on the reservation issue is clear that only a caste-wise census can solve the problems of all communities including Maratha, OBC and Dhangar. Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi have made it clear that such a census will be conducted if the Congress comes to power,” Mr. Patole said.
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