Mumbai, Sep 1 Maharashtra Minister and Nationalist Congress Party leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Monday convened a meeting of OBC leaders and organisations to discuss strategy in response to Maratha activist Manoj Jarange-Patil, who is demanding reservation for the Maratha community under the OBC quota and insisting that all Marathas in Marathwada be recognised as Kunbis to avail the benefits.
While talking to IANS, Bhujbal said, “At the meeting, the participants will review the current situation and decide on the future course of action. The state government has already provided a 10 per cent reservation to Marathas. However, it is not in a position to grant reservation to the Maratha community from the OBC quota. The OBCs oppose Jarange-Patil’s demand to allocate OBC quota benefits to the Maratha community.”
Bhujbal, who is also the founder of Samata Parishad, referred to two earlier judgments by the Bombay High Court, which clearly stated that Marathas and Kunbis are distinct communities and not the same.
“The Kalelkar Commission, and later the Mandal Commission, did not classify Marathas as a backward community. A Chief Minister can implement the commission’s recommendations but cannot add castes on his own,” Bhujbal said, criticising NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar for not taking any steps for the Marathas.
The Minister had recently said that if the Maratha community continued to demand reservation from the OBC quota, the OBCs would oppose the move.
Today’s meeting of the OBC leaders comes after the National OBC Federation last week launched a chain hunger strike in Nagpur against any attempt to extend OBC quota benefits to the Maratha community.
Earlier, state Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clarified that Marathas could not be granted reservation from the OBC quota and stated that the government was working to find a solution within the framework of the Constitution.
“The government is working to ensure that the Maratha and OBC communities do not come into conflict under any circumstances. During the last ten years of the alliance, the Maratha community has received justice, with education and employment schemes being launched. We remain committed to addressing the Maratha reservation positively,” he had said.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also stated that reservation for the Maratha community cannot be provided by reducing the quota of OBCs or other communities or harming their interests, adding that the government’s role is to implement measures strictly within the framework of the law.
“It is not possible to reduce or divert the OBC quota to the Maratha community. While the Marathas are economically backward, the government is striving to ensure that the reservation granted to them is properly maintained,” Shinde said.
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