Agrarian crisis, no jobs fuel trouble
AURANGABAD : Although the fight for Maratha reservation has been on since 2016, the agitation took its first violent turn last week, majorly affecting Marathwada or central Maharashtra, with protests spreading from Aurangabad and Parbhani to Beed, Osmanabad, Latur, Jalna and Hingoli.
While Maratha leaders held the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state responsible for the situation, the latter blamed rival political parties. Experts, however, believe it is the socio-economic problems of the region, prone to water crisis and drought, that make it vulnerable.
AGRARIAN DISTRESS
The agrarian crisis, which led to suicides by farmers, is among the major reasons for distress. Moreover, the lack of adequate employment opportunities has frustrated youngsters. This has gradually resulted in the anger that is seen in the protests.
Maratha leaders dominate the state politics, making it the most influential community. Despite this, a majority of farmers in the region, most of them Marathas, are poor with small land holdings or those working even as farm labourers.
Jaydev Dole, retired associate professor, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad, said politics was always the first priority for Maratha youths, which stopped them from getting higher education or jobs in government and private sector. “This was in contrast to communities such as Dalits and Brahmins. Maratha leaders used this attitude of the community as a tool to consolidate their political power. The youths have now realised this and are angry as other communities has overtaken them,” Dole said.
UNEMPLOYMENT
HM Desarda, economist and former member of the state planning board, said sorting the agrarian crisis should be top priority, as it is also leading to unemployment in the region. According to him, the share of agriculture in the state income in 1951 was around 50%, which has now reduced to 10%, while workforce in agriculture and allied activities remains around 52%.
“This indicates that a large number of youth from the community, which largely depends upon farming, is jobless. This is why the Maratha youths want the state to stay the recruitment drive for 72,000 posts, which they see as a great opportunity,”he said.
State BJP president Raosaheb Danve said, “Their demand is valid as no one can deny that Marathwada is backward. But nothing is in the hands of the state government now. It is now up to the HC to decide. The violence is a result of politics.”
MARATHASPEAK
Mansing Pawar, who was among the first lot of coordinators behind peaceful Maratha rallies, refuted the claims. “Youngsters are angry and the agitation is leaderless. So it has gone beyond everybody’s control. I don’t believe the theory that political parties are provoking Maratha youths. But going by the current scenario, I am afraid the agitation may take a wrong turn, if the state does not take corrective steps immediately,” said Pawar.
Another reason, according to Pawar, was that the Maratha community registered themselves as ‘Kunbi’ and got reservation benefits on a par with the other backward classes (OBC) in regions such as Vidarbha and Konkan, but not in Marathwada. “This is the reason the youth here are more aggressive,” he said.