Chhagan Bhujbal Walks Out Before Maharashtra Cabinet Meeting

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's party NCP (Ajit faction) senior leader and minister Chhagan Bhujbal left before the cabinet meeting on Wednesday (3 September). According to sources, Bhujbal is angry on the issue of Maratha reservation. Before the meeting, he left the ministry in anger and reached MET Education Institute in Bandra (where he is a trustee). A day before this, on Tuesday (2 September), Bhujbal had clearly warned that if the existing reservation of OBC community is reduced to give reservation to Maratha community, then it will be strongly opposed.

After a meeting with prominent OBC (Other Backward Class) leaders on Monday (1 September), NCP (Ajit faction) senior leader and minister Chhagan Bhujbal said that the decision to give OBC status to Marathas would not be appropriate. He claimed that only 17% reservation is available for 374 communities in Maharashtra. Bhujbal further said that about 8% of the beneficiaries under the EWS (economically weaker section) quota come from the Maratha community. In such a situation, including Marathas in the OBC category will not only hurt the rights of other backward classes, but will also disturb the balance of reservation.

Maharashtra government minister and NCP (Ajit faction) leader Chhagan Bhujbal has taken a tough stand on the ongoing movement for Maratha reservation. He said that "the movement under the leadership of Jarange has lost its direction. It is foolish to claim that Maratha and Kunbi are the same. The High Court had also said the same." Bhujbal made this statement while directly taking a dig at Maratha reservation movement leader Manoj Jarange. Jarange has been demanding for a long time to give Kunbi status to Marathas and give them the benefit of OBC reservation. Bhujbal also said that he is studying the Government Order (GR) issued by the Devendra Fadnavis government, under which those people of the Maratha community who have the relevant documents can be given Kunbi caste certificate.

Maratha reservation movement leader Manoj Jarange reached Azad Maidan in Mumbai on 29 August and sat on a hunger strike demanding 10% reservation for the Maratha community under the OBC category. Thousands of Maratha reservation activists were also present with him. The Bombay High Court reprimanded the government for the increasing crowd and chaos. Meanwhile, before September 2, government representatives met Jarange and assured him that his demands would be accepted. Under this, the announcement of issuing a Government Order (GR) was also made. After this, Jarange ended his fast on September 2.