Maharashtra Minister Demands Action on Maratha Quota: Modify or Withdraw

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Posted by AI on 2025-09-24 09:10:41 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-12-20 13:17:30

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In a recent gathering of OBC workers in Nagpur, Maharashtra Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, a prominent OBC leader, demanded the state government take decisive action regarding the Maratha quota issue. His statement comes in the wake of activist Manoj Jarange's agitation and the subsequent government response.

Bhujbal's address focused on the Hyderabad Gazette GR, issued by the government after Jarange's protest at Azad Maidan, which allows members of the Maratha community to obtain Kunbi caste certificates. The Kunbis, an OBC agrarian community, have been at the center of this quota debate. The minister asserted that the GR must either be modified with necessary corrections or completely withdrawn, with several OBC organizations already challenging it in court through writ petitions.

The minister also criticized NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar's handling of the Maratha and OBC quota committees, accusing him of bias. He further alleged that the NCP (SP)'s involvement in Jarange's agitation two years ago in Jalna's Antarwali Sarati led to an attack on police personnel. Bhujbal claimed that the NCP's support emboldened Jarange, who later gained prominence after meetings with Pawar and then-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

Bhujbal concluded by praising Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for forming a subcommittee for the OBC community and urged him to stand firm against pressure tactics. He also called for swift action against fake caste certificates and expressed his support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to conduct a caste census nationwide. The Maratha quota issue, with its complex caste dynamics and political implications, continues to be a contentious topic in Maharashtra's political landscape.

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