Prominent OBC leader and Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, and Union Minister Narayan Rane expressed dissatisfaction with the State government’s decision on the reservation issue, with Mr. Bhujbal particularly questioning the “backdoor entry” of Marathas into the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.
They criticised the State government’s move, highlighting concerns about the potential impact on OBCs and the historical legacy of the Maratha community.
Mr. Bhujbal, a member of Ajit Pawar faction of NCP, also criticised Justice (retd.) Sandeep Shinde, who heads a committee investigating Kunbi records of Marathas, alleges excessive salary compared to the Chief Justice of India, deeming it an unnecessary expenditure. Mr. Rane too disagreed with the Shinde government’s decision to extend OBC benefits to Marathas, fearing it would encroach on the rights of Other Backward Communities and lead to unrest in Maharashtra.
“The OBCs are having a feeling that they have lost their reservations as Marathas will take the benefits. I support giving a separate reservation to Marathas, but not sharing the existing OBC quota with them. Because once they become a part of the existing reservations for OBCs, only they will get the benefits,” he said.
Pro-Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil on Saturday called off his indefinite fast for Maratha quota after the government accepted his demands, with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announcing that Marathas would receive benefits enjoyed by the OBCs until they secure the reservation. A draft notification was issued, recognising blood relatives of Marathas with Kunbi records.
“Whatever the Chief Minister is saying does not satisfy our mind,” Mr. Bhujbal said. He claimed that the Chief Justice of India gets ₹2.80 lakh salary, whereas (Justice) Shinde and the committee get ₹4.50 lakh each and asked:“Why so much expenditure is going on?”
“Once the relatives of 54 lakh OBCs (with Kunbi caste records) get similar certificates, there will be no space for (the existing) OBCs in the reservations. A report of the (Justice) Gaikwad committee, appointed by the previous government headed by Devendra Fadnavis, was used by the Supreme Court to refuse reservation to Marathas,” Mr. Bhujbal said.
It would be an encroachment on the (rights of) OBCs and could lead to an unrest in Maharashtra, Mr. Rane, the former chief minister of the state, said in a post on X.
He said he does not approve of the state government’s decision and assurance to the Maratha community regarding the reservation. “It will lead to suppression of the Maratha community that has a historical legacy and it will also be an encroachment on the other backward communities,” the BJP leader said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis attempted to reassure OBCs that Marathas would not receive Kunbi caste certificates without proper proof.
