Quota tussle: Bhujbal pulls up own govt for going soft on Jarange's 'threats'

Addressing a rally of the Other Backward Classes in Bhiwandi in Thane district, Bhujbal said the state government was bending to accommodate Jarange, which was making him more aggressive.

Thane: Maharashtra minister and OBC leader Chaggan Bhujbal on Sunday accused Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange of issuing open threats and also took on his own government in the state.

Addressing a rally of the Other Backward Classes in Bhiwandi in Thane district, he said the state government was bending to accommodate Jarange, which was making him more aggressive.

Jarange is issuing threats to him, Bhujbal alleged and showed clippings of newspapers to underline his claim.

'However, when I speak on this issue, I am told to have patience,' said Bhujbal, who is part of the Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party that joined the Eknath Shinde government on July 2.

Bhujbal told the gathering they must give a befitting reply to those who have opposed OBCs.

Jarange has said the Marathas must be given reservation in jobs and education by recognising them as Kunbis, which is part of the Other Backward Classes segment in the state.

However, OBCs groups, led by leaders like Bhujbal, have opposed this move, saying Marathas must be given quota without affecting benefits of the OBCs.

Jarange has given December 24 as the deadline to the state government for giving quota to the Maratha community.