OTHER Backward Class (OBC) strongman Chhagan Bhujbal has demanded the formation of a committee to examine Kunbi certificates issued to the Marathas under the Government Resolution (GR).
Bhujbal, a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA from the Yeovla constituency (Nashik district), even presented evidence of alleged tampered documents and said all certificates issued in the past should be verified by the committee.
On Tuesday, the second meeting of the sub-committee of the Other Backward Classes was held in Mantralaya. In the meeting chaired by the panel head and state revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Bhujbal produced a few documents which he claimed were allegedly tampered with and overwritten.
“OBC certificates issued earlier need to be verified. A committee needs to be formed to verify the documents submitted to get the caste certificates,” Bhujbal mentioned during the meeting.
Following agitation by the Maratha community, the Maharashtra government had on September 2 issued a Government Resolution (GR) allowing the Hyderabad gazette to be considered for issuing caste certificates.
Since then, the government has been facing opposition from the OBC community leaders and organisations and even within the government.
With each passing day, Bhujbal is seen escalating pressure on the government over the Maratha reservation issue. After warning of a legal battle and even hinting at street protests, the OBC strongman has now demanded the formation of a fresh committee to examine Kunbi certificates issued to Marathas.
OBC sub-committee chairman Bawankule admitted that Bhujbal did present evidence of a few tampered documents in the meeting. “We have given strict instructions to verify each and every document before deciding on caste certificates. I assure you that no caste certificate will be issued without a thorough check and verification,” Bawankule added.
The senior BJP leader even mentioned that instructions would be given not to issue any certificates based on altered or tampered documents.
After the meeting, Bhujbal even claimed that the decision to implement the Hyderabad gazette will become a major issue for the government in the future. “This decision will lead to many problems now and even in the future,” he added.
The NCP leader even expressed displeasure with the government for the huge disparity in funds for the OBC and Maratha communities. Bhujbal alleged that under various welfare schemes OBC received R2500 crore from the state government in the last 25 years, as against R25,000 crore received by the Maratha community in the last three years alone.
Last week, Bhujbal had urged the state government to withdraw the latest GR on Maratha reservation.
