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Maratha Quota Protest: In a fresh twist to Maharashtra’s ongoing quota politics, senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP- Ajit Pawar faction) leader and state minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Wednesday announced that he would approach the courts to challenge the government’s recent order on issuing Kunbi caste certificates to eligible members of the Maratha community.
The move comes just a day after Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange ended his five-day hunger strike, following assurances from the Mahrashtra government to expedite the process of recognising certain Marathas as Kunbis, thereby making them eligible for Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservation benefits.
Why is Bhujbal opposing the government resolution?
Chhagan Bhujbal, a prominent OBC leader, expressed strong displeasure over the Government Resolution (GR) issued by the Social Justice and Special Assistance Department.
“OBC leaders have doubts about the GR — as to who really won after Jarange's agitation,” Bhujbal told reporters.
He questioned whether the government had the legal authority to alter caste identities through administrative orders, pointedly asking, “Can the government change people’s caste?”
When asked directly whether he would move the court, Bhujbal replied in the affirmative.
Chhagan Bhujbal's dissatisfaction was also evident as he skipped both a Maharashtra cabinet meeting earlier in the day and a meeting of party leaders convened by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
What does the Maharashtra government say?
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde attempted to downplay the tension, stating that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis would personally speak to Chhagan Bhujbal to clarify the matter.
“The decision taken by the government is in accordance with the law. No injustice has been done to any other community while taking the decision,” Shinde said.
Deputy CM Shinde added that Bhujbal would be placated once he understood the full facts.
What does the Maharahstra govt's GR state?
According to the resolution, historical documents, including references from the Hyderabad Gazetteer, will be used to determine whether individuals from the Maratha community can be categorised as Kunbis.
A scrutiny process will be carried out to verify documents and establish eligibility before Kunbi caste certificates are issued.
Why is this significant?
The Kunbis, traditionally a farming community, are listed under the OBC category in Maharashtra. However, the move to include Marathas within this category has sparked fierce opposition from OBC groups, who fear dilution of reservation benefits.
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