Pune: Most shops and offices remained shut in Indapur, some 100km from Pune, on Monday in the bandh called by the OBC community to protest against throwing of footwear at BJP MLC Gopichand Padalkar on Saturday. The Indapur police have registered a case against unidentified persons. Some nearby villages also participated in the bandh. Earlier, MLA Prakash Solankes house was targeted, then threats were issued to state minister Chhagan Bhujbal and now chappals were hurled at Padalkar.Some people are trying disturb the peace in the state by creating a divide between Marathas and OBCs. We called for a bandh and there was an overwhelming response, a local OBC leader said. Speaking to TOI, inspector Dilip Pawar, in-charge of the Indapur police, said, We have registered a case of wrongful restraint against some persons. We are now checking some videos to ascertain their identities.Padalkar alleged that some anti-social elements are trying to incite violence in the state. Some people are spreading lies that I staged the attack. I do not want to disturb the peace. I have appealed to the OBC community not to react, he added. We also published the following articles recentlyBJP drove wedge between Marathas and OBCs: PatoleState Congress president Nana Patole accused the BJP of sowing discord between Marathas and OBCs over the quota issue, tarnishing the legacy of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji. Patole criticized the BJP for complicating the matter instead of following the constitutional procedure for granting reservations. He alleged that the RSS and BJP may be attempting to eliminate reservations. Patole also criticized the BJP for failing to fulfill its promises, including the creation of a separate Vidarbha state and reservations for Dhangars. He announced that the Congress would lead a massive protest to address the agrarian crisis caused by unseasonal rain.Dont let Bhujbal fulfil his dream of creating rift between Marathas and OBCs: Manoj JarangeQuota activist Manoj Jarange accuses Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal of trying to create unrest between Marathas and OBCs. Jarange demands reservation for Marathas and warns against Bhujbals attempts to divide the communities. He sets a deadline for the government to act on the reservation demand. Jarange appeals to the Maratha community to remain patient and determined in their fight. He criticizes the state government for alleged conspiracies against the quota movement.No plan to hike OBC quota in civic polls: GovtThe government clarified that there is no proposal to increase reservation for OBCs as per population in the local body elections. However, the state government has the authority to make this decision. OBCs currently have one-third reservation under Article 243D of the Constitution, but 21 state governments have increased the reservation to 50%. The issue of increasing reservation for OBCs based on population in local body polls was raised, but there is no proposal at the moment. Local bodies have a 50% reservation for women, which also accommodates OBCs, SCs, and STs. The decision to increase reservation should be made by the states. In Maharashtra, local body polls were not held due to the OBC quota issue. The Supreme Court has stated that reservation cannot exceed 50% without empirical data.

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