31 January,2024 03:47 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Chhagan Bhujbal. File Pic.
Maharashtra minister and veteran Other Backward Class leader (OBC) leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Wednesday again slammed the state government over a draft notification on the Maratha quota, claiming lakhs of affidavits are being submitted to make a "backdoor entry" into the OBC quota and encroach upon their rights.
Bhujbal and Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange are locked in a bitter war of words, with the Bhujbal accusing the government of surrendering before Jarange.
Bhujbal, who belongs to the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar, has been criticising the government over the draft notification which makes "blood relatives" of a Maratha person with the Kunbi caste proof eligible to get Kunbi (a OBC caste) certificate.
"Whatever is happening in the name of Maratha quota is nothing but surrender to mobocracy. Lakhs of affidavits are being submitted for making a backdoor entry to encroach upon the rights of OBCs and VJNTs (Vimukta Jati and Nomadic Tribes). There is frenzied atmosphere in villages," he told the media on Wednesday.
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Bhujbal said that, "There are three options- OBCs can either approach court (against draft notification over Maratha quota), create awareness among people, or highlight the injustice being meted out to them through democratic platforms."
He refused to comment on demands for his resignation by certain quarters, PTI report said.
Speaking with Mid-day on Tuesday, Bhujbal said, "Marathas are just 17 per cent to 20 per cent of the state's population. It is the Other Backward Castes who comprise 54 per cent to 57 per cent. All of this will backfire big time." He added that the issue will not help any party win sizeable votes.
Amid the on-doing debate on reservation to Maratha community, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis recently said he would allay the concerns of his cabinet colleague. Another Deputy CM Ajit Pawar had also said he would talk to Bhujbal. While, CM Eknath Shinde has reassured that there will be no injustice to any community, including OBC, while granting reservation to Marathas.
Bhujbal had announced that protests would be held outside the residences of MLAs, MPs and tehsildars on February 1 against the government's decision regarding the Maratha quota.
(With PTI Inputs)
