Maratha quota: Chhagan Bhujbal pulls up own govt for going soft on Manoj Jarange's 'threats'

Chhagan Bhujbal. File Pic

Maharashtra minister and OBC leader Chaggan Bhujbal on Sunday accused Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange of issuing open threats and also took on his own government in the state, reported the PTI.

Addressing a rally of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) in Bhiwandi area of Thane district in Maharashtra, Chhagan Bhujbal said that the state government was bending to accommodate Jarange, which was making him more aggressive, as per the PTI.

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Manoj Jarange is issuing threats to him, Chhagan Bhujbal alleged and showed clippings of newspapers to underline his claim.

"However, when I speak on this issue, I am told to have patience," said Bhujbal, who is part of the Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party that joined the Eknath Shinde government on July 2.

Chhagan Bhujbal told the gathering they must give a befitting reply to those who have opposed OBCs.

Manoj Jarange has said the Marathas must be given reservation in jobs and education by recognising them as Kunbis, which is part of the Other Backward Classes segment in the state.

However, OBCs groups, led by leaders like Bhujbal, have opposed this move, saying Marathas must be given quota without affecting benefits of the OBCs.

Manoj Jarange has given December 24 as the deadline to the state government for giving quota to the Maratha community.

Meanwhile, Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Sunday said that if the state government fails to fulfil the reservation demands, the community will chart its next course of action at a meeting in Beed on December 23, reported the PTI.

Speaking to the reporters during a meeting at Antarwali Sarati village of Jalna district of Maharahstra, Manoj Jarange said that Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is scheduled to make a statement in the assembly, whose winter session is underway in Nagpur, on December 18, as per the PTI.

Manoj Jarange claimed that state minister Uday Samant phoned him in the morning to assure that the chief minister and the deputy CMs were committed to granting reservation, according to the PTI.

The government had sought "one month to pass the act", but if it fails to comply, he said the next strategy will be decided on December 23 at Beed.

Manoj Jarange announced that the agitation would continue if the government failed to fullfil the demand for reservation and urged it to issue Kunbi certificates to Marathas for their inclusion in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category and pass the act accordingly.

(with PTI inputs)