Wardha: Responding to Manoj Jarange’s allegations against him, revenue minister and Nagpur and Amravati guardian minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Saturday said he belonged to both the OBC and Maratha communities and did not believe in acting against or accusing anyone.Jarange, during a tour of western Maharashtra, had alleged that an attempt was being made to cancel the registration of 58 lakh Marathas and claimed CM Devendra Fadnavis and Bawankule were involved.Bawankule said, “Just as I belong to OBC community, I also belong to the Maratha community. We do not discriminate within the family. We are working to secure whatever rights the Maratha community is entitled to.”He maintained that Mahayuti govt was committed to ensuring justice to both communities on the matter of caste certificates. “The Maharashtra govt is completely with the Maratha community. OBC community too should get justice, and while ensuring justice to the OBC community, the rights of the Maratha community should also not be affected,” Bawankule said.On MNS chief Raj Thackeray’s remarks over tenders for works related to Nashik Kumbh Mela, Bawankule said the online tender process was transparent and asked those concerned to verify facts with the list of tenders before commenting. He said contractors from any state could participate in the online tender process, citing the example of a tender for a 300-bed hospital in Arvi, and added that quality was given importance regardless of which state a contractor came from.On talk of NCP (Sharad Pawar) functionaries meeting PM Narendra Modi, Bawankule said such meetings kept happening. “Various people meet PM over development works,” he said.
