Mumbai/Jalna, September 4, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The reservation dispute in Maharashtra intensified on Friday after senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and state Minister Chhagan Bhujbal warned his own MahaYuti government against any move that could dilute the Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota, while Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil launched a sharp counterattack.
Addressing a press conference, Bhujbal criticised state ministers and legislators for visiting Jarange Patil’s hunger-strike site at Antarwali Sarati, alleging that the government was showing excessive eagerness to accommodate the activist’s demands.
Bhujbal also raised concerns over alleged manipulation of documents to claim Kunbi-Maratha status and stressed that statutory procedures must not be bypassed.
“The Caste Scrutiny Committee is a vital body, and no one should exert pressure on it,” Bhujbal said, questioning assurances by some legislators that rejected caste certificates would be “corrected”.
He cited the case of four Mumbai corporators who lost their seats after their caste validity certificates were cancelled and asked whether such certificates would also be “corrected”.
Bhujbal further highlighted what he described as an imbalance in financial allocations. He said he walked out of a Cabinet sub-committee meeting in protest after Rs 750 crore was allocated to the Annasaheb Patil Economic Development Corporation, which focuses on the Maratha community, while OBC welfare committees received only Rs 5 crore.
He also questioned the proposal for a dedicated Maratha-Kunbi Ministry, saying that if such a ministry was created, separate ministries should be established for every community in Maharashtra.
The NCP leader demanded immediate clarification on how a single candidate could seek benefits simultaneously under the OBC, Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) categories.
Targeting the Maratha Reservation Cabinet Sub-Committee headed by Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Bhujbal questioned its authority to issue local directives and Government Resolutions (GRs) independently. He warned that he would take to the streets if OBC interests continued to be ignored.
Jarange Patil responded from Antarwali Sarati, accusing Bhujbal of using the OBC issue for political purposes.
“At this age, he (Chhagan Bhujbal) should look after his own politics and figure out how to make his nephew an MP,” Jarange Patil said.
He further alleged that Bhujbal had failed to protect OBC interests and referred to controversies surrounding the OBC Development Corporation and Maharashtra Sadan.
Jarange Patil also challenged Bhujbal’s assertion regarding the size of the OBC population, asking, “Who told Bhujbal that the OBC population is 60 per cent?” He contrasted the claim with the 10 per cent reservation granted to the Maratha community.
The Maratha activist also accused Bhujbal of changing political positions for strategic advantage, referring to his associations with the Maha Vikas Aghadi, MahaYuti and Ajit Pawar.
Jarange Patil maintained that state government representatives had accepted key demands, including the issuance of Kunbi caste certificates to eligible Marathas with historical documentary records.
However, he said he would not withdraw his hunger strike until the government’s assurances were formally implemented on the ground.
The confrontation comes amid a widening political debate in Maharashtra over the Maratha reservation demand and its implications for the existing OBC quota, with competing claims over caste documentation, welfare allocations and reservation benefits continuing to fuel tensions.
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