‘Gang war on’: Sanjay Raut attacks CM Shinde amid row of Maratha reservations
The Maharashtra government has expanded the scope of the Sandip Shinde Committee of Justice (Retd), which was formed to explore the feasibility of giving Kunbi certificates to members of the Maratha community, in view of the protests among leadership of Jarange.
Mumbai: As a major political war rages between the Maharashtra government and the Opposition over the thorny issue of Maratha reservation, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said there is a war going on within the Cabinet over the issue. Raut further said that the entire situation in the state has deteriorated due to the issue and the chief minister has no control over it.
“There is a gang war going on in the cabinet over this issue. OBC vs Maratha is going on… The whole atmosphere has deteriorated in this way. The Prime Minister has no control over this. Be it Shambhuraj Desai or Chhagan Bhujbal, this situation has never happened in the state,” Raut told news agency ANI.
#WATCH | Mumbai: On Maratha reservation, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut says, “There is a turf war going on in the Cabinet over this issue. OBC vs Maratha is going on… The whole atmosphere has deteriorated in this way. The Prime Minister has no control over this. Be it,… pic.twitter.com/869szDhJzR
— ANI (@ANI) November 9, 2023
The Maratha quota issue, during which activist Manoj Jarange undertook a nine-day fast and set a December 24 deadline for its resolution, and the political fallout of the reservation agitation, were discussed at a meeting yesterday.
During the meeting, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, a prominent OBC leader, said the government should ensure that fake Kunbi caste certificates are not circulated among those seeking reservation under the Other Backward Classes category, the sources.
They said Shinde expressed displeasure over contradictory comments made by the ministers on the Maratha reservation issue and warned that nothing should be said that could inflame tension.
Bhujbal, a leader of the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction), said on Monday that “backdoor” attempts to provide reservations to the Maratha community under the OBC category will be resisted.
The Maharashtra government has expanded the scope of the Sandip Shinde Committee of Justice (Retd), which was formed to explore the feasibility of giving Kunbi certificates to members of the Maratha community, in view of the protests among leadership of Jarange.
One of Jarange’s demands is that Marathas be given Kunbi certificates so that they can get reservation in education and government under the OBC category. Kunbis are recognized as an OBC community in Maharashtra, where they enjoy quota benefits.