Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has approved the formation of a subcommittee for other backward castes (OBCs), Water Supply & Sanitation Minister Gulabrao Patil said here on Wednesday.
“There was a proposal to form a subcommittee for the OBC community for the past several days. This proposal was also made during cabinet meetings, but it was approved in the meeting held today (Wednesday) on September 3. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis approved the formation of a subcommittee for OBCs. This committee will have two members from each party in the Mahayuti alliance government. The OBC subcommittee will work to resolve demands of the OBC community,” Gulabrao Patil told media persons.
Confirming the development, Marathi Language Minister Uday Samant told media persons, “There was a demand that a subcommittee should be formed so that there is no injustice to the OBC community. Accordingly, a subcommittee for OBCs will be formed in the next one to two days”.
“Actually, the decision to form an OBC committee was taken at the last cabinet meeting, but it was finalised today. However, I do not know who will be the chairman of this committee or the members,” Uday Samant said.
After Marathi Language Minister Uday Samant was specifically asked whether OBC leaders are upset with the Fadnavis government’s decision to give OBC Kunbi status to Marathas and if that is why Food & Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, who is also an OBC leader, had boycotted Wednesday’s cabinet meeting, Samant said, “I don’t know why Chhagan Bhujbal was not present at the cabinet meeting”.
However, later on Wednesday, Food & Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, who has always strongly opposed reservation to Marathas under the OBC Kunbi category, confirmed to media persons that he had deliberately skipped the state cabinet meeting.
“Yes, I did not go for the cabinet meeting,” Bhujbal told media persons.
According to sources, before the main cabinet meeting, Ajit Pawar-led NCP ministers held a pre-cabinet discussion at Sahyadri Guest House where Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was also present.
At the discussion, Bhujbal asked Ajit Pawar why he was not consulted before the decision on Maratha reservation was taken. Ajit Pawar replied that the decision was taken by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and assured Bhujbal that the move would not affect OBC reservation.
However, Bhujbal insisted that he and OBC leaders ought to have been taken into confidence. After that, an upset Bhujbal left Sahyadri Guest House citing personal reasons for skipping Wednesday’s cabinet meeting.
Earlier on Tuesday, Bhujbal had stated that he is studying the government resolution (GR) issued by the Fadnavis government to provide OBC Kunbi caste certificates to Marathas.
Significantly, Bhujbal had also warned about massive protests by OBCs if any attempt is made to dilute the existing OBC reservation quota to accommodate Marathas.