Bhujbal Announces Protests Against State Government Over Maratha Quota Issue

“If they want to oust me, they can do so. But I will not yield when the OBCs are facing injustice. I will continue to fight,” Mr. Bhujbal said, who has been the OBC face of the NCP.

The Eknath Shinde government on Sunday issued a notification regarding the issuance of Kunbi caste certificates to Maratha community members, which will make them eligible for reservation in the OBC category. The certificates will be given to all blood relatives of people, who can provide documents in which they have been listed as ‘Kunbi’. The government has invited objections and suggestions on the notification till February 16.

Terming it as a backdoor entry of Marathas in the OBC category, Mr. Bhujbal said, “The CM and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had promised that the reservation will be given to the Maratha community without affecting the OBC or any other existing reservation. So has the Chief Minister fulfilled his promise by giving this backdoor entry?”

Mr. Bhujbal also announced a mega OBC rally in Ahmednagar on Saturday. He has urged all castes, which are part of the OBC category, to hold protests outside the residences of their MLAs and MPs on Thursday.

In a midnight post on his X handle, Mr. Bhujbal wrote, “My request to the entire OBC community is that all 374 castes, which are part of OBC, should come together and protest on the roads. On February 1, protest rallies should be held outside the residences of local MLAs, and MPs. In these rallies, our memorandum of ‘Save OBC’ should be given to them. I request all of you to come in huge numbers and take out these rallies. Also, the state government has asked to register objections to the ‘ordinance’ that the state government will be issuing till February 16. I request you all to register your objections in large numbers. On the February 3, we have organised a mega rally of OBCs in Ahmednagar district, all should attend this rally in large numbers.”

However, the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP has distanced itself from Mr. Bhujbal’s views on the Maratha reservation. Senior party leader Praful Patel said that the stand taken by Mr. Bhujbal is not the official stand of the party, but it is of the Samata Parishad (the OBC group headed by Mr. Bhujbal).

Mr. Bhujbal on Sunday evening held a meeting at his official residence in Mumbai that was attended by OBC legislators, leaders, lawyers and others. He said a resolution was passed at this meeting for the cancellation of the draft published by the chief minister on January 26, wherein demands of Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange were accepted.

However, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis denied that the draft notification regarding Kunbi certificates to the Maratha community members causes any injustice to the OBC community. He said that OBC interests will not compromised as long as the BJP is in power.

“I will personally meet Mr. Bhujbal and he should tell me his specific objections. If we find that there is any injustice to OBCs, we will amend the decision. Prima facie, the government has taken a balanced stand. Only those who have records to show their Kunbi entries will be given Kunbi certificates. The government has also started the process for providing separate reservations to the Maratha community. The state government will not do any injustice to the OBCs. The CM has said that time and again. And as long as the BJP is in the government, we will not let it happen,” Mr. Fadnavis said.

NCP leader and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar also confirmed that he will meet Mr. Bhujbal in Mumbai to clear any misunderstanding about the government notification. “Mr. Patel has already clear our party’s stand on the issue. As the government, we have to consider the interests of all communities and take a balanced view. The CM, Mr. Fadnavis and I will together meet Mr. Bhujbal to know his objections and if there are any misunderstandings, we will clear them. But we do not want to hurt anyone’s sentiments,” he said.