Key Points

He declared he will continue his fight to protect the rights of OBCs by approaching the court of law and also hitting the streets.

“Our country has a democratic system and we have complete faith in the judiciary. Therefore, we will fight both legal and street battles to maintain OBC reservation. A petition will be filed soon in the Supreme Court objecting to the government's decision regarding Maratha reservation. No government can include anyone in reservation nor can anyone be excluded from reservation. However, the government made an attempt to do so. The GR says that a person with a Kunbi record can give an affidavit to members in his clan and relatives through which they will get a caste certificate,” he said.

Minister Bhujbal on Friday visited the family of late Bharat Mahadev Karad, a young man from Wangdari of Latur district who committed suicide out of despair over the end of OBC reservation.

He appealed to the OBC community members not to take such extreme step. He made it clear that “as long as I am here, I will not allow any setback to the reservation of OBCs". He reiterated that he will fight the legal battle and also on the streets to protect OBC quota and their rights.

“Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar said in the Constitution that there is a need to provide reservation to the OBC community. After that, the Mandal Commission studied and gave 27 percent reservation. Many commissions have observed that the Maratha community cannot be given reservation in OBC. The central government gave 10 percent EWS reservation to the Maratha community. The state government gave 10 per cent separate SEBC (Socially and Educationally Backward Class) reservation,” said minister Bhujbal.

He further added that the government has implemented more schemes for the Maratha community for education and jobs than for OBCs. However, despite this, some insist that they should be included in OBC and therefore the GR of September 2 was issued under pressure.

“GR is a blow to the OBCs as the members of OBC community say that now our reservation is over, so some of them are sacrificing themselves by committing suicide. We will fight with courage, patience and unity like the ancestors of Chhatrapati Shivji Maharaj. We will stand firmly behind the OBCs,” said minister Bhujbal.

He said that the children of OBCs in the state want education and jobs. Gross injustice is being done to OBCs while providing grants and implementing schemes.

He criticised that the entire Maharashtra is being held captive demanding Kunbi status to Marathas which is against the Constitution and also against various court orders. He however, commented that no community can be declared socially backward due to political pressure. Therefore, there should be no attempt to include the Maratha community among the backward classes.

- IANS