Days after Maharashtra Minister Chhagan Bhujbal’s “inflammatory” speech against Maratha reservation at a rally sparked controversy, leaders of the Maratha community have raised the decibel level in the state, seeking the filing of an FIR against him “for trying to create enmity between Maratha and OBC communities”.
Coordinators of the Maratha Kranti Morcha in Pune have said they will approach Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais to seek action against Bhujbal. In Kolhapur, the Sakal Maratha Samaj has approached the police, seeking registration of an FIR against Bhujbal on various counts like making an inflammatory speech, trying to create enmity between two communities, and defaming Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil, Indian Express reported.
Additionally, in the last two to three days, the Maratha community has also staged protests against Bhujbal and burnt his effigies in different parts of the state.
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Last week, while addressing a massive rally by OBC and VJNT organisations in Jalna district, Bhujbal said granting reservations to Marathas would lead to a face-off between the Marathas on one side and OBCs, SCs, STs and Muslims on the other side. He also said a caste census was the need of the hour in the country.
Bhujbal, a minister from the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), indirectly slammed his government’s promise of not eating into the OBC quota while granting Kunbi certificates to eligible Marathas, as hollow.
He also lashed out at Maratha leader Manoj Jarange Patil — without naming him — and ridiculed ministers for “bowing down” to the activist. Much of Bhujbal’s attack was reserved for Patil, who has been spearheading the community’s demand for reservation. He minced no words in running down Jarange-Patil’s “stubbornness”.
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Prominent Maratha leader Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje on Saturday sought the ouster of the NCP leader from the Maharashtra Cabinet for “trying to create bitterness between peace-loving Maratha and OBC communities”.
“What Bhujbal did yesterday is a very serious matter. He tried to create bitterness and enmity between the Maratha and OBC communities. The two communities have lived peacefully in villages and cities of Maharashtra over the years… Bhujbal crossed all boundaries; he crossed the Laxman Rekha and did everything to trigger violence between the two communities. He does not deserve to be in the state cabinet. He should be immediately sacked,” Sambhajiraje said.
“During his speech, Bhujbal did everything to run down the Maratha community in the way he did. This will certainly anger the whole Maratha community. His speech is sure to create bitterness among Maratha community members,” he added.
Meanwhile, Rajendra Kunjir, coordinator of Maratha Kranti Morcha, told The Indian Express, “We have decided to approach the State Governor seeking dismissal of Bhujbal from his ministerial post. Bhujbal has as a minister taken oath to support all communities in the state. Instead, he is siding with one community and making inflammatory statements against another community”.
Kunjir said Bhujbal targeted Jarange-Patil without any reason. “Jarange-Patil has not said even one single word against the OBC community. In fact, he has praised the OBC community for supporting the Maratha agitation. Jarange-Patil is not a politician, but he has shown a lot of maturity whenever he makes statements,” he said.
Jarange-Patil, who attended a rally in Dehugaon on Monday, appealed to the people to not allow political leaders to create bitterness among communities. “We should not allow political leaders to realise their dream of creating bitterness among the people of the state. I had no personal opposition to Bhujbal, but he has stooped too low in his criticism,” Jarange-Patil said.