A man reportedly killed self by jumping into a farm lake in Khupta village in Sillod taluka demanding reservations for Marathas. The incident came to the fore on Sunday morning. The deceased has been identified as Samadhan Raibhan Kale (38), from Khupta, Sillod, and a suicide note with the demand of Maratha reservation was found in his pocket, informed Ajanta Police Station’s API Amol Dhakne.
According to the information provided by Samadhan’s cousin Gajanan Kale, Samadhan was facing severe hardship and had a huge loan on him. He incurred severe losses in farming due to natural calamities and soil fertility issues. He was also an activist associated with the Maratha reservation movement. Before killing himself, he wrote a suicide note, in which he mentioned that the government did not grant the reservation despite several agitations and rallies organised in the state by the Maratha community. The government has cheated the Maratha community, he alleged, stating that he was fed up with the present condition of the community. Hence, he allegedly committed suicide. “At least, the government will wake up from the deep slumber after his death and his community will get reservation, as he had mentioned in the letter,” said Gajanan Kale.
What is Maratha Reservation Bill
The Maratha reservation issue has been a contentious topic in Maharashtra politics for decades. The Maratha community, comprising nearly a third of Maharashtra’s population, has sought inclusion in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category to access job and education reservations. In response to these demands, successive governments have attempted to implement Maratha reservation policies, though they have faced significant legal challenges. The Maratha Reservation Bill provides a 10% reservation for the Maratha community in government jobs and education, classifying them as a Socially and Educationally Backward Class (SEBC) under the Indian Constitution. The Bill was passed unanimously by the Maharashtra Assembly and Legislative Council in February 2024, adding Maratha reservations over and above existing quotas in the state.This 10% reservation pushes Maharashtra's total reservation rate to 62%, surpassing the Supreme Court's 50% cap on quotas. The Bill also includes provisions for a review after 10 years to evaluate its effectiveness and future relevance.
The Maratha community, which comprises about 28% of Maharashtra's population, has been advocating for reservation benefits to access jobs and educational opportunities. Successive state governments have attempted to provide reservation policies for Marathas, facing significant legal hurdles along the way. In 1982, Maratha leader Annasaheb Patil’s suicide while campaigning for reservation rights galvanised the movement. The community's demands gained further momentum in 2004 when the Maratha-Kunbis, an agrarian sub-caste within the Maratha community, were granted OBC status.
In 2018, then CM Devendra Fadnavis established the Gaikwad Commission to study the Maratha community’s socio-economic status, leading to a Bill that recommended a 16% reservation quota. The Bombay High Court later reduced the quota to 13% in jobs and 12% in education. However, in 2021, the Supreme Court struck down the Maratha reservation, ruling that it breached the 50% ceiling on quotas, and denied subsequent review and curative petitions filed by the state.