NASHIK: NCP (Ajit Pawar group) minister Chhagan Bhujbal said chief minister Eknath Shinde has assured him that the OBC reservation will not be affected even if kunbi certificates are issued to eligible Marathas.
Bhujbal, an influential OBC leader, said, “We had a discussion on the reservation issue after the cabinet meeting on Wednesday. I made my stand clear to the CM that my topmost priority is to safeguard the reservation of the OBC community comprising 375 different castes.I will not compromise if OBC reservation gets adversely affected,” Bhujbal told TOI.
He said that Shinde has assured him that the state government will ensure OBC reservation is not impacted even after the Marathas are given the kunbi certificates.
“The CM has promised me that no injustice will be done to the OBC community. It is for the state government to spell out how it is going to implement the reservation plan to ensure that both, the OBCs and the Marathas, get proper reservation,” he said, adding that the OBC rally at Ambad in Jalna on November 17 would be a mammoth one.
Bhujbal reiterated that he is not against reservation for the Maratha community but feels that it should not be at the cost of other communities. “At present, there is a demand to provide reservation to the Marathas under OBC category. Who knows, in the future, they might start demanding reservation under ST or any community that already gets reservation. We need to raise our voice if unjust demands are made,” remarked Bhujbal.
The NCP minister lashed out at Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange for trying to create a rift between the Marathas and OBCs in the state. “I have been championing the cause of the Marathas for nearly four decades. I have raised the reservation issue with several former Maratha CMs of the state like Sharad Pawar, Vilasrao Deskmukh, Ashok Chavan, Prithviraj Chavan. All of them understood the complex nature of the problem of granting reservation to Marathas under OBC quota. But Jarange seems to lack knowledge on the issue and hence, is making irresponsible demands. Neither me nor my community will accept the demands, we will oppose it,” said Bhujbal.
In reply to a question, Bhujbal said he accords far greater importance to issues related to the OBCs than his MLA seat. “My voters in Yeola constituency in Nashik trust me and that is the reason that I have been winning the seat for the last four terms. I will not allow any injustice to the OBC community on the reservation issue,” he added.
Bhujbal, an influential OBC leader, said, “We had a discussion on the reservation issue after the cabinet meeting on Wednesday. I made my stand clear to the CM that my topmost priority is to safeguard the reservation of the OBC community comprising 375 different castes.I will not compromise if OBC reservation gets adversely affected,” Bhujbal told TOI.
He said that Shinde has assured him that the state government will ensure OBC reservation is not impacted even after the Marathas are given the kunbi certificates.
“The CM has promised me that no injustice will be done to the OBC community. It is for the state government to spell out how it is going to implement the reservation plan to ensure that both, the OBCs and the Marathas, get proper reservation,” he said, adding that the OBC rally at Ambad in Jalna on November 17 would be a mammoth one.
Bhujbal reiterated that he is not against reservation for the Maratha community but feels that it should not be at the cost of other communities. “At present, there is a demand to provide reservation to the Marathas under OBC category. Who knows, in the future, they might start demanding reservation under ST or any community that already gets reservation. We need to raise our voice if unjust demands are made,” remarked Bhujbal.
The NCP minister lashed out at Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange for trying to create a rift between the Marathas and OBCs in the state. “I have been championing the cause of the Marathas for nearly four decades. I have raised the reservation issue with several former Maratha CMs of the state like Sharad Pawar, Vilasrao Deskmukh, Ashok Chavan, Prithviraj Chavan. All of them understood the complex nature of the problem of granting reservation to Marathas under OBC quota. But Jarange seems to lack knowledge on the issue and hence, is making irresponsible demands. Neither me nor my community will accept the demands, we will oppose it,” said Bhujbal.
In reply to a question, Bhujbal said he accords far greater importance to issues related to the OBCs than his MLA seat. “My voters in Yeola constituency in Nashik trust me and that is the reason that I have been winning the seat for the last four terms. I will not allow any injustice to the OBC community on the reservation issue,” he added.
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