Maratha quota: Maha minister Bhujbal hits out at his own govt

Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Saturday appeared to target his own government led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as he questioned the 'backdoor entry' of Marathas into the Other Backward Classes (OBC) community.

He also termed the draft notification issued by the state government providing Kunbi certificates to all Marathas as a mere 'eyewash', and said caste is determined by birth and not affidavits.

The veteran OBC leader was talking to reporters in Mumbai after Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange called off his indefinite fast in neighbouring Navi Mumbai on Saturday morning after the state government accepted his demands over reservation to his community.

The state government issued a draft notification this morning to recognise as Kunbis all blood relatives of the Maratha community members whose Kunbi caste records have been found.

Kunbi, an agrarian community, falls in the OBC category. Jarange had been demanding Kunbi certificates for all Marathas.

Bhujbal, the food and civil supplies minister, said, "The draft notification issued by the state government providing Kunbi certificates to all Marathas is an eyewash. It was a matter of study whether it is injustice to OBCs or Marathas are being taken for a ride."

"Intellectuals from the Maratha community should also think about it," he said, adding that the community was making backdoor entry into the OBC reservation.

He was responding to questions on CM Shinde announcing that Marathas will get OBC benefits till they get reservation.

"Caste is determined by birth and not by affidavits," Bhujbal said.

"What if Dalits and Adivasis also make a similar demand of all blood relatives be given the caste certificate," the leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Ajit Pawar, asked.

He also hit out at Jarange over his demand to reserve vacancies in job recruitment for Marathas and 100 per cent free education to members of the community.

"Why only Marathas? Let all castes, including Brahmins, be given free education," he said.

Bhujbal said he has invited all OBC leaders for talks on Sunday to discuss the issue.