Maratha Reservation: 'It's backdoor entry of Marathas into OBC category', slams Chhagan Bhujbal

Bhujbal while speaking to the media on Saturday. Pic/Mid-day

Maharashtra minister and Other Backward Class (OBC) leader, Chhagan Bhujbal on Saturday said that the draft notification issued by the state government providing Kunbi certificates to all Marathas as a mere "eyewash", and said caste is determined by birth and not affidavits. He questioned his own government saying that, 'It's backdoor entry of Marathas into OBC category.'

The veteran OBC leader, Bhujbal spoke with the media after here after Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange ended his indefinite hunger strike on Saturday morning after the state government accepted all his demands in regards to reservation for Maratha community.

Chhagan Bhujbal, the food and civil supplies minister of the state said, "The draft notification issued by the state government providing Kunbi certificates to all Marathas is an eyewash. It was a matter of study whether it is injustice to OBCs or Marathas are being taken for a ride." The experts of Maratha community should think over it, he added.

The state government on Saturday also issued a draft notification to recognise as Kunbi's all blood relatives of the Maratha community members whose Kunbi caste records have been found. Kunbi, an agrarian community, falls in the OBC category. Jarange had been demanding Kunbi certificates for all Marathas.

Also Read: In Photos: CM Eknath Shinde meets Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange, hunger strike ends in Navi Mumbai

Bhujbal was responding to claims of CM Shinde announcing that Marathas will get OBC benefits till they get reservation, PTI reported. "Caste is determined by birth and not by affidavits. What if dalits and adivasis make a similar demands- of all blood relatives be given the caste certificates," Bhujbal questioned.

He also slammed Jarange's demand to reserve vacancies in job recruitment for Marathas and 100 per cent free education to members of the community. "Why only Marathas? Let all castes, including Brahmins, be given free education," he said.

Chhagan Bhujbal, is a leader of the Nationalist Congress Party's (NCP) faction led by Ajit Pawar, who have supported the current BJP and Eknath Shinde-Shiv Sena led government in Maharashtra.

Bhujbal said he has invited all OBC leaders for talks on Sunday to discuss the issue.

Meanwhile, as the hunger strike of Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil ended in Vashi, Navi Mumbai on Saturday, Maharashtra's chief minister Eknath Shinde addressed the rally and said, "We will fulfill the public oath (promise made to people) in regards to Maratha community reservation." He also affirmed that it would be ensured that the reservation falls in legal framework.

(With PTI inputs)