In response to Minister and OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal’s continuous criticism of Maratha reservation and activist Manoj Jarange-Patil, the Swarajya Sanghatna has declared that they will curtail Bhujbal’s freedom of movement within the state. Dhananjay Jadhav, Pune unit head of Swarajya Sanghatana, conveyed a stern message, stating, “If Bhujbal continues to attack Maratha reservation and Manoj Jarange-Patil, we will not keep quiet. We will not allow him to move freely.” Tensions escalated on Monday near the VVIP Circuit House in Pune when members of the Sanghatana and Bhujbal’s supporters nearly clashed, requiring police intervention.
“We visited the Circuit House to request the minister to cease his tirade against our efforts to secure reservation. The Maratha community is earnestly striving for reservation, but Bhujbal’s comments are attempting to disrupt our cause. He is fostering a division between communities and impeding our path to reservation,” explained Jadhav.
He urged the minister not to create a rift between the Maratha and OBC community, citing Bhujbal’s speeches in Jalna and Hingoli as indicative of his attempts to strain relations between the two communities.
Earlier this month, during an OBC rally in Jalna, Bhujbal accused Jarange-Patil of fleeing home during police lathicharge on villagers protesting for Maratha reservation. In another OBC rally in Hingoli, Bhujbal advocated scrapping the Justice Sandeep Shinde committee and halting the issuance of Kunbi certificates to Marathas, proposing that Marathas should have separate reservations, distinct from the OBC category.
Dhananjay Jadhav emphasized the need to avoid discord between the Maratha and OBC communities, expressing the Sanghatana’s commitment to the same principle as Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati. The Sanghatana’s visit to the Circuit House served as a warning to Bhujbal, with Jadhav stating, “If he (Bhujbal) does not pay heed, we will prevent his movement in the state. If anyone makes any wrong statement against the Maratha community, we will not tolerate that.”
Jadhav clarified that Jarange-Patil has not targeted the OBC community but has focused on OBC leaders creating obstacles for Maratha reservation. Despite being a minister, Bhujbal’s divisive actions are viewed as an attempt to sow discord and disrupt the peaceful atmosphere in the state, contrasting with Jarange-Patil’s approach.
On Monday, Jarange Patil retracted his controversial remarks about Marathas working under “undeserving people,” expressing a desire to concentrate on protecting his community’s interests.
