How can you transform Marathas into Kunbis: Bhujbal

Chhagan Bhujbal (Maharashtra Minister, PuneOBC leader) criticized Maratha leader Jarange-Patil's stance on OBC quota. He questioned how paperwork proving Marathas were Kunbi OBCs was suddenly being discovered. Bhujbal accused Jarange-Patil of creating fear and pressuring the govt. Jarange-Patil retorted that Bhujbal was unable to accept Marathas getting a quota. Nana Patole (Maharashtra Congress Chief) blamed BJP for trying to create a divide between Maratha and OBCs. He said Congress will conduct caste-wise census if it comes to power.

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.

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.