Bhujbal says Maharashtra government has surrendered before Jarange

Mumbai: Amidst the reservation row in Maharashtra, senior OBC leader and NCP minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Friday targeted his government for showing too much leniency towards the demands of Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil. “His (Jarange Patil) demands are growing, but the government seems to be helpless before him,” Bhujbal said.

The minister’s comments have come a day after the quota activist made a new demand saying that OBC reservation should also be given to the children of a Maratha woman, who is found to be a Kunbi.

“His (Jarange Patil’s) demands are growing daily. He is coming up with amazing demands. The government should accept his demands and give reservation (to Marathas),” said Bhujbal, who is a minister of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection in the Mahayuti government.

“I also support all demands of Jarange Patil. Who are OBCs? They are just small, poor people. Even God is scared of him,” Bhujbal said sarcastically.

“Ministers are going and meeting him. The government must make four to five ministerial bungalows (at Ambad). The Chief Secretary must be stationed there…so GRs can be issued easily and the government can regularly talk to him,” said Bhujbal.

On Thursday, a state government delegation including three senior ministers met Jarange Patil at his Antarwali Sarati village in the Ambad tehsil in the Jalna district. During the meeting, quota activists demanded that reservations be offered to the children of Kunbi Maratha women.

Jarange Patil has asked the state government to provide OBC reservations to Marathas by December 24. However, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, in the recently concluded winter session of the State Legislature, had said that a special session would be called to provide reservations to Marathas.

Kunbi, a sub-caste of Marathas, is grouped under the OBC category in Maharashtra and enjoys reservation benefits in education and government jobs. However, the OBC leaders are against the inclusion of Marathas in their category.