In response to growing unrest, the state government has formed a Cabinet sub-committee to address the grievances of OBC leaders and community members.
Mumbai: The ongoing dispute over Maratha and OBC reservations has sparked internal tensions within the Maha Yuti government, underscored by veteran OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal’s decision to skip the weekly Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. This came a day after the state government accepted the Maratha community’s demand for reservation under the OBC category—a move that has drawn sharp criticism from the OBC community.
In response to growing unrest, the state government has formed a Cabinet sub-committee to address the grievances of OBC leaders and community members.
The OBC leaders have threatened to launch large-scale protests if their existing quota is compromised. The Rashtriya OBC Mahasangh initiated a chain hunger strike at Samvidhan Chowk in Nagpur on August 30 — one day after Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange began an indefinite fast at Azad Maidan in Mumbai, demanding OBC-category reservation for Marathas through the implementation of the Hyderabad Gazette.
Officials have said that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is likely to meet with OBC protestors in Nagpur in an effort to de-escalate the situation.
On Wednesday, the state OBC department issued a Government Resolution (GR) to form a nine-member Cabinet sub-committee led by Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule. The panel will examine the social, educational, and financial status of the OBC community, and address related issues.
Committee members include Chhagan Bhujbal, Ganesh Naik, Gulabrao Patil, Sanjay Rathod, Pankaja Munde, Atul Save, and Dattatray Bharne. The secretary of the OBC department has been appointed as the member-secretary of the committee.
According to the GR, the sub-committee will review existing welfare schemes for OBCs and suggest improvements for effective implementation. It will also monitor programs run by the Maharashtra State OBC Finance and Development Corporation and recommend steps to ensure fair representation of OBCs in state services, public sector undertakings, statutory bodies, and semi-government institutions.
“The committee will also deliberate with protesting OBC leaders and work toward resolving their concerns,” said a government official.
Sources have indicated that Mr. Bhujbal is dissatisfied with the manner in which the government has addressed Maratha demands. “By skipping the Cabinet meeting, Mr. Bhujbal has sent a strong message to the government,” said a source close to him.
Mr. Bhujbal, a prominent OBC face in the BJP-led Maha Yuti government, has also warned that he may legally challenge the GR related to the Hyderabad Gazette, which facilitates Maratha reservation under the OBC category.
Speaking to reporters, Bhujbal said that the GR contains ambiguous language. “We are currently reviewing the legal implications of the GR. If necessary, we will consider approaching the High Court or Supreme Court,” he stated.
Meanwhile, OBC leader Laxman Hake publicly tore a copy of the GR in protest, accusing the government of acting in an unconstitutional and illegal manner. “This GR has effectively ended OBC reservation. Maharashtra is not just a state for Marathas. Political parties are acting as if only Maratha votes matter—this is an injustice to all other communities,” Hake said. He also warned of a political boycott of leaders who supported the Maratha quota agitation.
