Jarange exults, Bhujbal sulks: Minister skips cabinet meet, says will challenge Maratha quota GR

Mumbai | Maharashtra minister and prominent OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Wednesday skipped a cabinet meeting and later expressed displeasure over a government order on granting Kunbi status to eligible Marathas for quota, indicating he will mount a legal challenge.

A day after ending his fast in Mumbai and claiming victory in his fight seeking reservation in jobs and education for Marathas under the other backward class category, activist Manoj Jarange expressed confidence about his community members getting quota benefits following Tuesday's government resolution (GR) on issuance of Kunbi (OBC) caste certificates to them.

After buying peace with Jarange by accepting most of his demands, the BJP-led Mahayuti government moved to placate Other Backward Classes, whose members are opposed to any move to disturb the existing quota for them, as it set up a nine-member cabinet sub-committee to expedite the welfare measures for OBCs and resolve issues related to reservation.

The emotive Maratha quota issue appears to be far from settled after Jarange's latest agitation as Bhujbal openly expressed his displeasure over the GR issued by the government for expediting the grant of Kunbi caste certificates to eligible Marathas, which will pave the way for community members to get reservation.

The NCP stalwart, who did not attend a cabinet meeting earlier in the day, said in the evening he would move the court against the GR.

"OBC leaders have doubts about the GR....as to who won after Jarange's agitation. We are seeking legal opinion on whether the government is authorized to change people's caste," the veteran leader told reporters.

Asked if he himself would approach the court against the GR, Bhujbal, who has been named in a new cabinet sub-committee on OBC welfare, replied in the affirmative.

He also skipped a meeting of party leaders called by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president and deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said CM Devendra Fadnavis will talk to Bhujbal and explain the facts to him.

Bhujbal will be placated after knowing the facts, he added.

"The decision (on GR) taken by the government is in accordance with law. No injustice has been done to any other community while taking the decision," Shinde told reporters.

Jarange, who has been demanding that Marathas be recognised as Kunbis so that they get the benefit of reservations, ended his five-day fast on Tuesday after the Mahayuti government agreed to issue a GR to resolve the issue.

The Kunbis are a traditional farming community included in the OBC category in Maharashtra. But OBC communities are opposed to the inclusion of Marathas in the category.

Speaking to reporters in a hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jarange said the Maratha community in Marathwada and western Maharashtra will now get reservation.

“We have scored a victory, and the credit goes to the Maratha community. Maratha people from Marathwada and western Maharashtra will now get quota,” he said.

The 43-year-old activist, who returned from Mumbai after ending his fast, is receiving medical care in a private hospital.

“No Maratha in the Marathwada region will be left out of quota,” Jarange said.

On Bhujbal skipping the cabinet meeting, the activist said, “That means he is a clever leader. It also means the Maratha community has succeeded in getting reservation.”

Jarange claimed attempts to take the matter to court will fail as the “GR cannot be challenged”.

OBC activist Laxman Hake, however, claimed the government has no right to accept the demand for providing Kunbi certificates to Marathas and warned OBCs will take to the streets against the decision.

The nine-member cabinet sub-committee set up on Wednesday to expedite welfare measures for OBCs, a sizeable voting bloc, and resolve issues related to reservation will be headed by Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule of the BJP.

A GR issued after the cabinet meeting said Bhujbal, Dattatrey Bharne (NCP), Sanjay Rathod, Gulabrao Patil (Shiv Sena) and Ganesh Naik, Pankaja Munde, Atul Save (BJP) are members of the panel.

In another outreach to OBCs, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will on Thursday meet protesters in Nagpur taking part in a chain hunger strike over apprehension Marathas would be given reservation under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, a local BJP leader said.

Meanwhile, BJP MLC Parinay Fuke said the Fadnavis-led government issued the GR on Maratha quota after taking all members of the cabinet into confidence, and claimed no OBC leader was disappointed with the order.

Nobody would move court against the GR, he expressed confidence, saying legal experts have maintained the existing OBC quota would remain unaffected by the order.

In the meantime, the Bombay High Court has sought a response from Jarange to allegations made in petitions opposing his five-day agitation, noting that large scale damage was caused to property in Mumbai.

A bench of acting Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Aarti Sathe said the activist will have to file an affidavit in response to various other allegations made in the petitions against the protest held by him and his supporters in Mumbai.

In a related development, nine cases have been registered against Maratha quota protesters in police stations in south Mumbai for alleged unlawful assembly and violation of prohibitory orders, an official said.