OBC Quota Dispute Deepens As Bhujbal, Jarange Patil Escalate Maharashtra Reservation Row

The political tussle over reservation in Maharashtra intensified on Friday as senior Nationalist Congress Party leader and state Minister Chhagan Bhujbal raised concerns over what he termed the dilution of Other Backward Classes (OBC) interests. His remarks targeted the state government’s handling of demands raised by Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil, whose hunger strike is underway at Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district.

Bhujbal questioned the presence of Maharashtra ministers and legislators at Jarange Patil’s protest site and expressed concern over efforts to facilitate Kunbi-Maratha status. He also raised allegations of document tampering and stressed the importance of following statutory procedures for caste verification. The minister questioned attempts to influence the Caste Scrutiny Committee and cautioned against efforts to alter decisions involving rejected caste validity certificates.

The NCP leader also highlighted what he described as disparities in government funding. Bhujbal revealed that he walked out of a Cabinet sub-committee meeting after ₹750 crore was allocated to the Annasaheb Patil Economic Development Corporation for Maratha-focused initiatives, while OBC welfare committees received ₹5 crore. He also called for separate ministerial representation for different communities if a dedicated Maratha-Kunbi Ministry is established.

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Bhujbal further questioned how an individual candidate could seek benefits under three different categories — OBC, Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). He also criticised the Maratha Reservation Cabinet Sub-Committee headed by Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil over its authority to issue local directives and Government Resolutions. Bhujbal warned that he would take to the streets if OBC interests continued to be sidelined.

Jarange Patil responded from the protest site with a sharp attack on Bhujbal, accusing the veteran NCP leader of using the OBC issue for political leverage. He also questioned Bhujbal’s assertions regarding the size of the OBC population and contrasted them with the reservation granted to the Maratha community. Jarange Patil additionally criticised Bhujbal’s political alignments and accused him of changing positions for political advantage.

The reservation dispute remains centred on demands related to Maratha inclusion within the Kunbi category and the potential implications for existing OBC reservations. Jarange Patil maintained that government representatives have accepted key demands, including the issuance of Kunbi caste certificates to eligible applicants with historical records. However, he indicated that his hunger strike would continue until the measures are officially implemented on the ground, keeping the pressure on the Maharashtra government.

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