Quota issue solution will be found through consensus: BJP leader Bawankule
Nagpur (PTI): Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule has said the Mahayuti government in the state is positive towards finding a consensus solution to the reservation-related demands of the Marathas and OBCs.
After meeting a government delegation on Saturday, activists Laxman Hake and Navnath Waghmare ended their hunger strike over the demand that the Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota should not be diluted.
The duo had launched the indefinite fast on June 13 at a village in Jalna district as a counter to Maratha activist Manoj Jarange's demand that Marathas should get reservation in the OBC category.
Bawankule told reporters here on Saturday that the Mahayuti government has taken a stand that the Maratha community should be given reservation without touching the existing OBC quota.
A solution will be found through consensus, the BJP leader said.
The government was also trying to avoid a confrontation between the OBCs and Marathas, he said.
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Ajay Rai’s ‘nimbu-mirchi’ jibe over Rafale use in Pahalgam aftermath sparks BJP-Congress row
New Delhi: A political row erupted after Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai used a toy plane hung with lemon and chillies to question the government’s response to the recent terror attack in Pahalgam. Rai made a symbolic reference, aimed at the Centre’s inaction despite possessing Rafale fighter jets, to the popular superstition of warding off evil with a “nimbu-mirchi” charm.
With the toy plane in his hands, Rai questioned, “When will they take action against terrorists and those who support them? Rafale jets are parked in hangars, protected with lemons and chillies. Our youth went to Pahalgam full of joy, but their bodies came back in coffins.”
The BJP responded, accusing the Congress of echoing Pakistan’s narrative. BJP’s spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala said, “Ajay Rai has not just held a toy plane, he has insulted the armed forces and played into Pakistan’s hands.” He claimed that while the Congress publicly pledged support to the Centre following the attack, its other leaders have acted to demoralize Indian forces.
Poonawala said, “This isn’t an isolated slip-up, it’s a pattern,” citing previous controversial comments by Congress leaders Siddaramaiah, Charanjit Singh Channi, Vijay Wadettiwar and RB Timmapur.
The video was picked up by Pakistan’s media, adding fuel to the BJP’s criticism that the Congress was acting like a “PR agent” for India’s adversaries. Despite the backlash, Rai stood by his statement, saying, “I am only asking when Rafale will be used. The country is waiting for action against the Pahalgam killers.” He also added that while the Congress supports the government in fighting terrorism, people have a right to question its strategy.
The Congress leadership has cautioned its members against making off-the-cuff remarks after getting caught off guard by repeated flare-ups. The Communication in-charge Jairam Ramesh clarified on X that only views expressed by Congress President Mallikarjuna Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and authorized AICC office-bearers represent the official party line.
