Daijiworld Media Network - Nagpur
Nagpur, Oct 7: Maharashtra revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Monday appealed for restraint from both OBC and Maratha leaders, urging them to avoid escalating the ongoing reservation dispute and focus instead on the growing distress among farmers.
“Farmers from both communities are committing suicides. This is not the time for confrontation, but for unity and action,” said Bawankule, speaking to reporters at the district and sessions court in Nagpur.
The minister, who also heads the state’s OBC sub-committee, warned that the rising tension over reservation risks destabilising a “progressive state like Maharashtra.” He urged the public and political parties to give the government time to find a resolution.
In a direct appeal to Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar, Bawankule asked the opposition to cancel its October 10 protest in Nagpur, citing widespread agricultural damage caused by heavy rains. “This is not the time for political marches but for standing with our farmers,” he added.
Earlier in the day, Bawankule expressed relief after he and several BJP leaders—including ex-MLC Pravin Datke, ex-MLAs Tekchand Sawarkar, Vikas Kumbhare, and sitting MLA Sameer Meghe—were acquitted in a 2021 case related to a protest demanding 27% OBC reservation. “The court’s verdict is a victory for justice,” he said, crediting lawyers Uday Dable and Parikshit Mohite.
Bawankule Defends BJP’s OBC Track Record
The minister strongly defended the BJP’s handling of the OBC reservation issue. “Whatever rights OBCs have today, it is because of the BJP government,” he declared. He accused the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) regime of undermining the quota system and claimed, “If Mahayuti hadn’t come to power, no one would have represented OBCs in the Supreme Court.”
He also warned of strict action against fraudulent claimants, stating that only eligible individuals would receive OBC certificates under the current policy.
Responding to Congress criticism of senior BJP leader Chandrakant Patil, Bawankule dismissed the remarks as “uncultured” and described Patil as “a man shaped by RSS values who has lived an exemplary life.”
Congress Slams BJP Over Delayed Farmer Relief
Meanwhile, in Akola, Maharashtra Congress president Harshawardhan Sapkal launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led state government for failing to announce a relief package for flood-affected farmers.
“When everything farmers owned has been destroyed, what are they waiting for? Aid should have been announced before Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit,” Sapkal said. He also repeated his claim that Shah is the “super CM” of Maharashtra.
Sapkal accused Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of focusing more on Surjagad mining profits than on farmer welfare. “The CM went to Delhi not with a proposal to help farmers, but to secure mining profits,” he alleged.
Political Realignments and Local Poll Focus
Commenting on a potential alliance between Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray, Sapkal said the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and INDIA bloc were created to oppose what he called the “dictatorship” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP. “Our mission is to build an India as envisioned by the Constitution,” he said.
He added that local body election strategies would be decided by district units, not the central leadership.
In a related development, the Amravati division review meeting was held to assess poll preparedness and organisational efforts. Senior Congress leaders, including MLAs Amit Zanak and Sajid Khan Pathan, ex-minister Sunil Deshmukh, and state vice presidents Ganesh Patil, Sandhyatai Savvalakhe, and Kishor Kanhere attended the meeting.
The Congress also saw a boost in its grassroots presence as Himayat Khan, former president of the Patur Municipal Council, joined the party along with hundreds of NCP workers from Akola. Sapkal welcomed them, stating their addition would strengthen the party’s resolve to serve the people.