Nashik: Food and civil supplies minister and senior OBC politician Chhagan Bhujbal on Thursday criticised the state govt for its ‘haste’ in issuing two govt resolutions (GR) on Maratha reservation on Sept 2.Bhujbal, president of All-India Mahatma Phule Samata Parishad, said govt changed the wording in the GR within an hour without consulting the cabinet or seeking its suggestions or objections and ignored opposition from the OBC community. He said the GR created confusion and called on govt to clarify its stance. “State govt issued a GR and then, within an hour, issued another on Maratha reservation. The latter was issued without placing it before the cabinet seeking objections, and sidelined the staunch opposition from the OBC community,” he told reporters in Nashik on Thursday.The cabinet minister said the parishad wants the GR revoked and has written to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis about its objections and may approach the court.He was countered by fellow cabinet minister Shambhuraj Desai, a member of the sub-committee on Maratha reservation. Desai said legal experts were consulted in drafting the GR allowing the use of the Hyderabad gazette to grant Marathas from Marathwada Kunbi status. “Every word and sentence of the GR stands within the legal framework. It was checked by the advocate general, retired high court judges, and the law secretary. Stalwarts were consulted. There is no threat to the GR,” he said in Satara on Thursday.Bhujbal claimed that the GR undid all the work done by the Shinde committee which went to Hyderabad and parts of Telangana to verify records and issue Kunbi certificates.“The committee issued Kunbi certificates to 2.39 lakh members of the community. The recent GR supersedes its decision. We contend that the GR was issued to benefit those who could not get certificates through the Shinde committee. If all Marathas are given reservation as Kunbis, what was the purpose of the Shinde committee?” Bhujbal said.The OBC leader said the revised GR promises to issue a Kunbi certificate to people in “relation” to those having such a “record”, instead of a “relative.” which creates confusion. “Supreme Court rulings and commissions have clearly stated that Maratha and Kunbi are different communities. Marathas are a ruling community, and cannot be given reservation,” he added. The minister said the MVA is not faulting the GR but targeting govt because it wants votes from both communities. “Senior politicians should speak up so that no injustice is done to the OBCs,” he added.Industry minister Uday Samant said Bhujbal should raise his concerns with the right people. “Revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule heads the sub-committee for OBCs. Bhujbal is also a member. He can directly talk to Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil who heads the sub-committee for the Maratha community, and sort out the issues.”OptionalSamant admonished the Karnataka govt for its move to rename Shivajinagar metro station as St Mary station in Bengaluru. “Karnataka’s CM is a Congressman. His actions show what love and affection Congress has for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,” he said.
