Jarange hits out at Bhujbal over quota issue, calls Beed OBC rally 'anti-Maratha'

Jalna, Oct 17 (PTI) Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Friday slammed the OBC rally held in Beed and accused former Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal of spreading hatred against the community.

Jarange was responding to Bhujbal's attack on him during a Other Backward Classes rally addressed by the latter during the day in Beed.

"The rally was anti-Maratha. It was orchestrated by Bhujbal to create fear and hatred among Marathas. He is trying to divide society. He wants to force the government to withdraw the September 2 GR. We want our reservation from the OBC quota, and we are not afraid of Bhujbal's threats," Jarange told reporters in Antarwali Sarathi village here.

Jarange also praised Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for giving quota benefits to the Maratha community through the GR on Kunbi caste certificates.

"Bhujbal, however, is trying to defame deputy CMs Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde on the quota issue. Ajit Pawar must distance Bhujbal from the NCP as he is creating unnecessary tension between communities and trying to derail the government's efforts on Maratha reservation," Jarange alleged.

Addressing the OBC rally in Beed, Bhujbal had slammed Maratha Jarange as well as the way the government resolution on Kunbi certificates was issued after the latter's stir in Mumbai between August 29 and September 2.

"We have nothing against the Maratha community. However, differences between Marathas and OBCs have come up because of Jarange. He said he would bring 5 crore people to Mumbai but ended up with just 10000-15000. The government was soft on him or else the police would have cleared the streets," Bhujbal said.

He also alleged that the people Jarange brought for the stir were not common Maratha community members but "sand thieves and liquor sellers". PTI COR BNM