Interview: If Marathas continue to ask for reservation under OBC category, we will fight it, says Chhagan Bhujbal
Maharashtra OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal, who was recently inducted in the Maharashtra Cabinet, days after he had openly expressed dissent against his leader and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar for keeping him out of the cabinet, spoke to The Hindu in an elaborate, sit-down interview . From the recent Supreme Court verdict on Maharashtra local body elections, to the OBC- Maratha reservation tussle, from the internal discussion within the party about his political prospects to the anger for being denied a Cabinet berth, from the Thackerays to the Pawars; and calling the Government's own OBC Commission report a 'sham', he spoke candidly on several issues. Here are the excerpts of the interview.
Also read | Chhagan Bhujbal slams Banthia panel report on OBCs
How do you see the Supreme Court's recent order asking for local body elections to be held as per the law for OBC reservation, prior to the 2022 Banthia Commission report?
We are very happy that we got justice from the Supreme Court. When the Mandal Commission recommendations were accepted, people went to the Supreme Court. Then, a nine-judge bench had given a verdict. That is the final verdict. Afterall, the Supreme Court is supreme. (referring to the Indra Sawhney verdict)
The Supreme Court will look into the Banthia Commission report only later now.
The Banthia Commission report was submitted in a hurry. Within one month, is it possible that sitting at home, sitting in air-conditioned places, can you have the caste census all over Maharashtra? For example, I will tell you. Gaikwad is a surname. When the Commission was going through the electoral rolls, the officers marked 'Gaikwad' as Maratha. But Gaikwad is an SC too, an OBC too, even a Mali community member. I don't agree with the Banthia Commission report, but because, at that time, there was the Supreme Court which was sitting on our State Government's head, we had to submit that report.
I had raised the problems about the Commission report with Uddhav Thackeray then, as he was the Chief Minister. He had said that the elections to 92 local bodies had to be conducted with zero OBC reservation. If we took this up, then it will create problems for other local body elections too.
Will you take back the report in that case?
It doesn't matter. Till then, my election will be done [referring to the local body elections[ and we will fight it out thoroughly. The nine-judge judgment of the Supreme Court in the Indra Sawhney case is already there. Now, when the case continues, it will take years together. And, by that time, as the Prime Minister has declared, there will be a caste census. With the caste census, it will be crystal clear.
How will the caste census affect the OBC politics in Maharashtra?
OBCs have played a prominent role in politics not just in Maharashtra, but also in U.P., in Bihar, in Tamil Nadu, in Karnataka, in Telangana. After 1931, there has been no caste census. This has been a long-pending demand. We have been cheated once by the Congress in 2010, when Pranab Mukherjee had assented to caste census after all the OBC leaders had come together in the House.
In Maharashtra, the Marathas too want a slice of the OBC quota.
I, Chhagan Bhujbal, will fight this tooth-and-nail. Our house is already full. OBC is not a caste. It is a class. There are many small groups in it. There is no space in our house. So we are telling the Marathas, don't come here. You have another house, please go there. If they still continue to ask for reservation under the OBC category, we are ready. We will fight it. Even they won't get anything in that case.
60% MLAs are Marathas, 60% Ministers are Marathas. The Chief Ministers have been Marathas. The banks are with them, the milk co-operatives, the sugar co-operatives are with them. The district bodies are with them. And they still want reservation from the OBC quota. So far, the demand for Maratha reservation has come up thrice. And all the three times, I supported them. But I will fight it if they want reservation from the OBC quota.
Also, Manoj Jarange Patil has been responsible for creating a rift between the OBCs and the Marathas. He has disturbed the social fabric.
It is being said that Chhagan Bhujbal has been brought in the cabinet due to the intervention of CM Devendra Fadnavis, for OBC votebank in the upcoming local body elections.
I have been in politics for several decades now. And every time I was given an opportunity from being a Mayor to becoming the Deputy Chief Minister, it was not because I was an OBC. How can you say that now? Yes, my induction will help the Mahayuti in the coming elections.
Devendra Fadnavis had insisted in December as well, that I should be in Cabinet. But Ajit dada listened only now. At that time, he did not listen. The fact is also that I am the Minister of Ajit Pawar. It is up to him to decide who he should include in the cabinet.
Do we say that there is an uneasy truce between Ajit Pawar and Chhagan Bhujbal now?
I am one of the founder members of NCP, along with Sharad Pawar. All of a sudden, I was thrown out. I was upset. I stuck with the party even when the Congress had offered me the Chief Minister's position at one point. Otherwise I would have been there in Vilasrao Deshmukh's place. And yet, the kind of treatment which was given to me this time was not appropriate. I was shocked.
Do you foresee yourself going to the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha?
Of course, I want to go. I have been in State politics for 40 years now. I had requested my party to send me to the Parliament. Now, once everything settles here, I will definitely ask them to let me go.
Do you see the Pawar uncle-nephew duo coming together again?
I have worked with Balasaheb Thackeray for 25 years. I have worked with Sharad Pawar for decades. I have seen the affection Balasaheb had for Raj Thackeray. I have seen Ajit grow under the tutelage of Sharad Pawar. It is hurtful when families split. I will be very happy if the Thackerays [Uddhav and Raj] reunite and the Pawars come together. Who wants to see a rift in the family? But it is our wishful thinking. I don't think it will happen.
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