Days after Maharashtra minister and senior OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal challenged Marathas and asked those belonging to the OBC category to reply to them in the same coin, cracks seemed to have appeared in the unity of OBC leaders. Even as the Congress has accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of purposely stoking tensions within the communities and disturbing the state’s peace, two OBC leaders of the party condemned the statements made by Bhujbal, who is a leader of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP. On his part, Leader of Opposition and Congress’s Vijay Wadettiwar distanced himself from the comments, saying he does not support extremism. “No community should take an extremist side. If this (Bhujbal’s statement) statement is taken seriously and communities clash against each other at the village level, then who will be responsible for it? The progressive and secular Maharashtra had never faced such animosity within the communities,” said Wadettiwar. An Other Backward Class leader from Vidarbha, Wadettiwar had attended the public rally at Ambad in Jalna district last week where Bhujbal had spoken at the gathering of OBC organisations across the state opposing the Maratha community’s demand to seek Kunbi (OBC) certificate. Wadettiwar had then opposed the move and said that a caste census was the only way to solve the issue. During the rally on Friday, Bhujbal had said, “I have been getting messages that our banners are being torn. Are your hands tied? We will have to reply with the same coin. There are banners banning the entry of politicians? Who puts them? Are they the owner of the land now? I want to warn the police administration that those banners should be removed right away. Is there an existence of governance? Is there a rule of law?”. Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole, who also belongs to the OBC category, said the state government is purposely creating tension to avoid addressing real issues faced by the state. “We can never support anyone presenting a position which will create a rift between communities. The Maharashtra Governor must step in and the state government should be dismissed,” he said. Patole added that the farm crisis is hurting Marathas as well as OBCs and youth from both communities are facing unemployment. “The government does not want to address these issues,” he said. Patole also pointed out that it was BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis who had been promising reservation to Marathas. “It is the BJP which is stoking tensions within the community. The BJP is responsible for creating a rift within the communities and disturbing the peace in Maharashtra. Not only Bhujbal but the entire state government should be dismissed,” said Patole. Wadettiwar also pointed out that Bhujbal is part of the government. “Those who are in power should work to solve the problems. But he is presenting the problems. Then why are you in power? Step down immediately,” he said, reiterating that he would never support such an extreme stand on this issue.
