Initiate correction in Maratha quota GR or withdraw it: Bhujbal at OBC meet

Nagpur: The Maratha quota GR issued by the Maharashtra government with regards to the Hyderabad Gazette following the agitation by activist Manoj Jarange must either be modified or should be withdrawn, state minister and OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal said here on Thursday.

Addressing a gathering of workers of his Akhil Bharatiya Mahatma Phule Samta Parishad and Other Backward Classes’ outfits in Reshimbagh here, Bhujbal also claimed the visit by NCP (SP) MLAs led to the alleged attack on police personnel two years ago in Jalna’s Antarwali Sarati, the base of Jarange’s quota stir.

The state government had issued a GR after Jarange’s stir at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai between August 29 and September 2 with regards to the Hyderabad Gazette so that members of the Maratha community could be given Kunbi caste certificates. The Kunbis, an agrarian community, are part of the OBC segment in Maharashtra.

“Five to six writ petitions have been filed in court by various OBC organisations against the Hyderabad Gazette GR. The Hyderabad Gazette GR must be withdrawn or necessary corrections to it must be initiated,” Bhujbal said.

He also slammed NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar for his statement on the two sub-committees on quota for Maratha and OBC segments.

“Pawar saheb said the Maratha sub committee had one OBC member, but the OBC sub committee only had OBCs as members. When then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray set up a committee for Marathas, why didn’t you (Pawar) ensure an OBC was made a member,” Bhujbal said while acknowledging that the former Union minister had implemented reservations for OBCs in Maharashtra.