Mumbai, Oct 20 (IANS) Amid ongoing protests over Maratha and OBC reservations in Maharashtra, revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Monday said that the OBC quota won’t be harmed as the government’s stand is quite clear that no one’s share will be taken away and given to someone else.

He further clarified that Maratha Kunbi community from the Western Maharashtra would not benefit due to the government resolution released on September 2 on the implementation of Hyderabad Gazette for providing Kunbi certificates to Marathas.

Minister Bawankule, who heads the cabinet sub committee on OBC reservation and other issues, said that “The government resolution of September 2 is final. Therefore, it would not be appropriate to comment further on it. However, the Hyderabad Gazette is applicable only to Marathwada and Vidarbha regions and will not benefit the Maratha Kunbi community from western Maharashtra. Therefore, OBC leaders should not misunderstand.”

Bawankule’s statement comes three days after a veteran OBC leader and NCP minister Chhagan Bhujbal at the rally addressed in Beed on October 17 declared the fight to prevent dilution of the quota of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) will continue in court and streets.

He said that the OBCs are not against reservation to the Marathas, however, the existing reservation structure should not be disturbed.

Further, OBC activist Ganesh Hake criticised the government resolution accusing it of undermining OBC rights. The government resolution weakens the interest of OBCs. However, pro Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange-Patil claimed that Bhujbal and his associates are raising the OBC bogey to suit their political convenience.

Jarange-Patil said Bhujbal had nothing to with the poor OBC community.

“Even if the OBC community suffers, they have got nothing to do with it. They only use the OBC community for their selfish gains. They will continue to shout OBC, OBC and look for political gains. They have no intention to see the welfare and growth of the OBC community,” he said.

Meanwhile,Minister Bawankule said he had met the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today regarding the development of Nagpur.

“An important meeting was held today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for the development of Nagpur Rural, Nagpur Metropolitan Region Development Authority and Nagpur city. Big and important decisions have been taken in this meeting,” he added.

“A detailed discussion was held in this meeting on how to make the benefits of various government schemes easily reach the common citizens. This decision taken by the Chief Minister will give a great boost to the development works in the Nagpur area,” Minister Bawankule said.

–IANS

sj/dan