"I Might Be Shot Dead": Maharashtra Minister Chhagan Bhujbal Amid Threats Over Maratha Quota Demand

During the Maharashtra Assembly session, Chhagan Bhujbal, the Minister of Food and Civil Supply, referenced a police intelligence report regarding his safety. He stated that the report indicated a potential threat to his life, suggesting he could be fatally shot. Bhujbal disclosed that he has been receiving these threats for the past two months.

During the ongoing Winter Session in Nagpur's lower House of state legislature, Bhujbal expressed his concerns about efforts being made to portray him as "anti-Maratha". He clarified that he is not against the reservation for the Maratha community.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Bhujbal expressed his feelings of being singled out, even though his stance aligns with all other parties, asserting that the Maratha community should not receive reservations from the OBC quota.

“(Maratha quota activist) Manoj Jarange Patil says that he will take care of Bhujbal. Indirectly threats are being issued. Then suddenly my police security was increased. When I asked the reason, I was told that there was input from above (intelligence agencies). There is a police report that I might be shot dead. So security has been increased,” Bhujbal said.

The minister revealed that he has been subjected to daily threats and abuses, allegedly from individuals within the Maratha community, via phone calls. Despite filing police complaints, no action has been taken yet.

“Now a social media post on attack on Bhujbal Knowledge City, Bhujbal Farm office on December 24 (the last day of ultimatum given by Manoj Jarange Patil to government to announce the reservation to Marathas) is being circulated. It means that preparations are being made to attack us again. I am ready to die. Give reservation to Marathas and stop this mob rule, that’s all I am saying. Today it will be Bhujbal. Tomorrow there will be someone else. Are you (government) going to be keep quiet? Will you just keep watching? This is my question to Maharashtra,” he stated.

In the previous month, Bhujbal criticised the state government for their management of the Maratha quota stir, challenging their overly indulgent treatment of Maratha activists. The minister has been speaking at OBC community rallies to contest the government's decision to issue Kunbi caste certificates to all Marathas at the request of Jarange Patil.

For the past several weeks, Patil and Bhujbal have been embroiled in a verbal conflict.

"I hold all communities in equal regard, yet I am being depicted as anti-Maratha, which is not true. I harbor no opposition towards Marathas or any other caste. In fact, I support the idea of Maratha reservation. I have twice backed the Maratha Reservation Bill when it was presented in the Assembly. The popular discourse is about granting reservation to the Maratha community without affecting the OBC quota, a stance I agree with. Despite this, I find myself unfairly targeted," he expressed during a discussion on the topic of Maratha reservation.

He further suggested that the government ought to allocate funds to the Mahatma Phule Research and Training Institute (Mahajyoti), an entity within the Other Backward Classes Bahujan Welfare Department, in the same manner as it does for other institutions.

Bhujbal highlighted that to date, not even Rs 1,000 crore has been allocated for Mahajyoti. He insisted on the immediate inauguration of the 72 hostels that were announced for OBC students. Additionally, he advocated that students from this community should receive a monthly stipend of Rs 6,000 based on the Swadhar scheme.

The minister, referencing "evidence", asserted that the OBC reservation in government jobs stands at a mere 9.5 per cent, despite the stipulated 27 per cent. He further demanded that the backlog of unfilled OBC positions should be prioritised.

He expressed that everyone is demanding a caste census to address the reservation issue. "The state should accordingly carry out this census," he stated.