Mumbai: Maharashtra Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, who has been opposing the inclusion of the Maratha community in the OBC category, has received a letter cautioning him about a “threat to his life”. Mr. Bhujbal said he has given the letter to the police and asserted that he will not change his stand on the Maratha reservation.
“I have received a letter at my office, stating that a contract of Rs 50 lakh has been given to someone to kill me. I have forwarded this letter to the police,” Mr. Bhujbal, who is the senior most OBC leader in the state, said.
The Maharashtra government recently issued a notification to recognise as Kunbis all blood relatives of the Maratha community members whose Kunbi caste records have been found. Kunbi, an agrarian community, falls in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. The notification says that the Kunbi caste certificates will be issued upon submission of an affidavit by the applicant establishing relations with his blood relatives - uncle, nephew and other members of his family as well as “patriarchal” relatives, who have found Kunbi records being the applicants’ “sage soyare” (blood relatives).
OBC leaders and organisations led by Mr. Bhujbal have been opposing the notification calling it a “backdoor” entry of the Maratha community, which is the most politically dominant community of Maharashtra, in the OBC category.
An unknown person has sent a letter to Mr. Bhujbal’s office in Nashik informing him about a contract to kill him. “The letter contains details such as car numbers, phone numbers, and locations of meetings. I have been receiving threats and calls for several months now. Since I am involved in politics, threats and attacks have occurred before,” the NCP leader said.
Mr. Bhujbal’s supporters have demanded additional security for him. An official said that the Nashik police is investigating the letter and have stepped up security at the minister’s home and office in the city.
“My stand and ideology will not change even if I receive many more such letters. The police will find the person who wrote the letter and take necessary action. I will work as per my ideology also and such threats cannot intimidate me,” Mr. Bhujbal said.
