Amid Bhujbal’s belligerence over Maratha reservation, Desai asks him to air views in cabinet

Desai’s comments came amid Bhujbal’s belligerence over the demand for Maratha reservation by quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil

Amid senior OBC (other backward castes) leader and minister Chhagan Bhujbal’s aggressive stand against the inclusion of Marathas as Kunbis, his cabinet colleague, Shambhuraj Desai, on Monday said that Bhujbal should air his views in the cabinet meeting instead of before the media.

Speaking to reporters in Pune earlier in the day, Bhujbal alleged that many Marathas are producing fake documents to show their identity as Kunbis to procure certificates for reservation. (HT PHOTO)

Desai’s comments came amid Bhujbal’s belligerence over the demand for Maratha reservation by quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil. Speaking to reporters in Pune earlier in the day, Bhujbal alleged that many Marathas are producing fake documents to show their identity as Kunbis to procure certificates for reservation. He also demanded scrapping of the Shinde Committee on Maratha reservation and a stay on the issuance of Kunbi certificates.

Reacting to Bhujbal’s aggressive stand, Desai said that when the decision was taken to form a committee under justice Shinde, the entire cabinet gave its nod to the same. “Bhujbal is a senior minister and if he has certain issues about the committee or Maratha reservation, he can talk to chief minister Eknath Shinde or the two deputy chief ministers – Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar. A decision taken in the cabinet should be discussed only in the cabinet or with the senior leadership,” Desai said.

Interestingly, Bhujbal is opposing his own government’s decision and demanding scrapping of the Shinde Committee which was appointed for the verification of Kunbi documents of the Maratha community.

Bhujbal said, “Earlier, I gave my nod to form the Shinde Committee for document verification as its scope was limited to Marathwada. The committee was appointed for the verification of documents of Marathas from Marathwada region from the Nizam era. However, under pressure from Jarange-Patil, the government started issuing Kunbi certificates to all Marathas across the state which we are opposing.”

Bhujbal is at loggerheads with Jarange-Patil over the issuing of Kunbi certificates to Marathas across the state. He said he will raise his voice for the scrapping of the Shinde Committee at all levels. “Already, I spoke about it in public and will raise the issue at the government level as well,” Bhujbal said.

About deputy CM and NCP leader, Ajit Pawar’s appeal to all leaders to maintain the political culture in the state and make statements cautiously, Bhujbal said, “I am following the same. I am not making any statement without documents. I am giving proofs. On the other hand, Jarange-Patil is making statements.”