Not against any community, but we will have to fight for our rights: Bhujbal

Maharashtra Cabinet minister and OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Tuesday said that he was not against any community but asserted a social group has to fight to protect its rights reported the PTIThe comments comes in the backdrop of the ongoing agitation by the Marathas for reservation in government jobs and education as per the PTIChhagan Bhujbal who has strongly opposed the demand to include the Marathas in the other backward classes OBC category for quota benefits said a new social system is taking shape in Maharashtra which is different from the order envisaged by prominent social reformersThe Maharashtra food and civil supplies minister Chhagan Bhujbal was speaking at an award ceremony organised by his outfit Samta Parishad at Phule WadaMahatma Phule Babasaheb Ambedkar Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj worked tirelessly to end the caste system and bring equality in society But as I said a new kind of social order is coming up in the state You know what I mean I will not reiterate That past social order was different and todays social order is different Nowadays things like eligibility layaki and higher lower status are being discussed he said taking potshots at Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange over his recent remarks according to the PTIManoj Jarange spearheading the latest round of agitation seeking reservation for the Marathas in government jobs and education said at a recent rally in Pune that in the absence of quota his communitys youths have no option but to work under undeserving people He later withdrew the comments which invited strong criticism from OBC leadersThe Ajit Pawarled Nationalist Congress Party NCP faction leader who has said the Marathas should be given reservation without encroaching on the existing OBC quota asserted he was not against communityI am not against any community and I request all of you not to talk against any community but for our rights we will have to fight Chhagan Bhujbal saidManoj Jarange who has undertaken hunger strikes on two occasions since Augustend as part of his agitation has sought quota for the Maratha community under the OBC categoryThe state government last month published an order asking officials concerned to issue fresh Kunbi caste certificates to eligible Maratha community members paving the way for them to avail reservation benefits under the OBC categoryKunbis a community associated with agriculture are grouped under the OBC category in MaharashtraChhagan Bhujbal has opposed giving Kunbi caste certificates to eligible Maratha community members citing irregularities in the processwith PTI inputs