Fadnavis hints quota for Marathas in Dec

AFTER PROTESTS As backward commission submits report, Maha CM says prepare to celebrate on December 1

MUMBAI: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday all but said his government would give in to the demand of the Maratha community for reservation in educational institutions and government jobs and asked it to prepare for celebrations on December 1, instead of agitations.

Fadnavis’ comments, at a public meeting in Ahmednagar, came hours after the Maharashtra backward class commission submitted its report on social, educational and economic conditions of the community to the state chief secretary, DK Jain. The commission was set up in 2017 to determine whether Marathas deserved reservation.

“I had promised time-bound action on this issue. The report has been submitted to us and by the end of the month, we will take decision on reservation. We will now complete other statutory requirements for this,’’ said Fadnavis.

Although the contents of the report have not been publicised, a senior official and a cabinet minister both said on condition of anonymity that it found the Maratha community to be educationally and socially backward. It has recommended reservation to the community and suggested the government follow Tamil Nadu model to protect this reservation from any legal action, added the official.

The commission has not recommended the exact magnitude of the quota to be given to the community; the Marathas have been agitating for 16%.

“We have received the report, which is based on the economic, social conditions of Marathas. Appropriate decision will be taken after studying it,’’ said Jain. The BJP will now have to decide how much reservation should be given to the community and how this can be implemented without the decision being struck down by the judiciary. It will also have to walk the tightrope between the Maratha community and the larger OBC community (

The Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission submitted its report on the social and economic conditions of the Maratha community on Thursday

The Maratha community in the state has been demanding reservations in jobs and education since 2016 with protests and silent marches