In the midst of the ongoing reservation row, Prakash Ambedkar, the chief of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), has claimed that a group he refers to as "Nizami Marathas" are trying to snatch the quota designated for the Other Backward Classes.
At a public meeting in Jalna on Tuesday, as part of his 'Aaraskshan Bachao Yatra,' Prakash Ambedkar urged the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) to counter these alleged attempts during the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections.
Prakash Ambedkar also criticized activist Manoj Jarange, who has been advocating for Maratha reservation under the OBC category for government jobs and education. In response, the state government passed a law in February granting the Maratha community a 10 percent quota under a distinct category. OBC leaders, including Cabinet Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, have expressed strong opposition to any reduction in the current quotas for backward communities.
"Nizami Marathas are trying to snatch the OBC reservation," Prakash Ambedkar said, highlighting the historical context of the Nizam's rule over the erstwhile Hyderabad state which included the Marathwada region. The last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, lost power after Hyderabad's annexation in 1948.
Prakash Ambedkar has alleged that Maratha leaders from both the ruling and opposition parties are conspiring to undermine the OBC reservation system following the upcoming assembly elections. He urged the OBC community to thwart these plans in the October polls, stating that OBC reservation is under threat. Ambedkar called on the public to elect 100 members from the OBC and VBA to the Maharashtra assembly to counteract any efforts to dilute the OBC reservation.