Eservations over inclusion f Marathas in OBC quota
Ratha leaders want ervation in sting 27% quota; C members say assured quota n’t be touched
After the Parliament ed the 127th Constitutional ndment, the demand for the sion of the Marathas in the r Backward Classes (OBCS) gory may gather momenhowever, OBC outfits are ehensive about it and have eyed their apprehension to overnment. e apex court had quashed Maratha reservation on grounds. It had crossed the limit meant for reservations he report of the Maharashtate Commission for Backclasses (MSCBC), led by ed judge MG Gaikwad, did ubstantiate the backwardof the community. e court also considered that 02nd Amendment had done y with the states’ power to reservation on backward. With the 127th Amendt, the Centre has given this er back to the states, but the r two hurdles in the way of vation to Marathas remain. such a scenario, some atha leaders are demanding he community be given resion on the basis of the backness in the existing OBC a of 27%. hat is the only option we are ith and we have been pushor it. When a few castes given dedicated reservawithout having substantitheir backwardness or coning survey, why should we be incorporated in the a? Our backwardness has established by the Gaikwad mission,” said Virendra ar, one of the leaders of atha Kranti Morcha. war said that the state govent does not have the will corporate the community in BC quota and hence, it had nor will any other government agree to it. After the 127th Constitutional Amendment by the Parliament, the state has the right to accord reservation. But I doubt that even if the MSCBC generates empirical data to prove backwardness, it would not stand the legal scrutiny,” he said.
Prakash Shendge, former legislator and president of OBC Jan Morcha, an umbrella body of the community’s organisations, said that their apprehension was raised during the meeting with chief minister Uddhav Thackeray earlier this week.
“A section of the Maratha community has been demanding for their inclusion in OBC quota. Though it is now difficult to prove the backwardness of the community, we fear that using political might, the community can do anything. The Gaikwad commission, which endorsed the backwardness of the community, consisted of a majority of the Marathas as members. The survey conducted on behalf of commission was by the agencies led by Maratha leaders. We have clarified to the government such attempts will not be tolerated. We have also demanded with the CM for the verification of the certificates of the governpassed ment employees who have been recruited as OBCS,” he said. Shedge said the CM has assured them that the OBC quota will not be touched.
Chandrakant Bavkar of OBC outfit Sangharsh Samanvay Samiti said the community will oppose inclusion of the Marathas under reservation for OBCS. “Thanks to the uprising within the Maratha community for reservation, even OBCS have become aware of their rights. We won’t tolerate any move to include Marathas in the OBC category. There had been attempts in the past to prove that Kunbis, which are a part of the OBC category, are Marathas, but we rubbished the claim. OBCS, that form 52% of the population, get 27% reservation, which is insufficient for us,” he said.
Bavkar said three successive backward classes’ commissions – Khatri, Bapat and Saraf – had turned down the claim of backwardness of the Marathas.
Food and civil supplies minister and Nationalist Congress Party’s OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal said, “No demand for the inclusion of the Marathas in OBC quota came up. Not only are the three ruling parties, but even the opposition BJP is against any such inclusion.”
A section of the Maratha community has been demanding for their inclusion in OBC quota. Though it is now difficult to prove the backwardness of the community...