Shinde Assures Maratha Quota Won't Affect Other Community Reservations

Maharashtra: Amid the row over the Maratha quota that it will result in encroachment of other communities reservation, Maharashtra Cheif Minister Eknath Shinde claimed that his government will give the reservation to the Maratha community without making any kind of change in other communities reservation.

"While giving Maratha reservation, we will keep in mind that whether it is OBC community or any other community, without making any kind of change in their reservation, we will give the reservation to Maratha community. Our view from the beginning has been to provide such reservation which meets the criteria. I have said this openly as Chief Minister and both our Deputy Chief Ministers have also said the same," Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde said.

Meanwhile, Maharastra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday clarified that there will be no injustice done to any community.

"The government has taken a decision that is benefiting the Maratha community, but there will be no injustice to any community. There is nothing for anyone to worry about in this. Our government will not allow any injustice to the OBC community. Recently, the reservation given to the Maratha community was upheld in the High Court. However, due to some reasons, the Supreme Court rejected that reservation. We have also launched a survey to determine these reasons," Devendra Fadnavis said.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Minister and OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal struck a dissenting note when he appealed to OBC community to speak up against the ordinance.

"My request to all OBC brothers and sisters is that the time has come for all of us to come together on the streets. On February 1, go to the MLAs, MPs or Tehsildars of your respective areas and hand over the demands regarding OBC reservation protection. Everyone should come out in lakhs and raise this demand. All the MLAs and MPs should be made aware that OBCs, Bhatke Vimukts are also citizens and voters of this state and those who want to contest elections need them too " Bhujbal said in a post on X.

"Also regarding this draft. Lakhs of objections will be filed till February 16. A huge Elgar Mela of OBCs has been organized at Ahmednagar on February 3, which should be attended by all the OBC brothers in large numbers. There are many intellectuals, writers, speakers, lawyers in the OBC, nomadic community. All of them should help us in this work in their own way. Lawyer brothers should convince the court of injustice against OBCs. Soon OBCs will be taking out a protest march across Maharashtra" Bhujbal added.

Earlier the Maharashtra government had accepted all demands of Maratha activist Manoj Jarange Patil and had issued an ordinance guranteeing reservations by issuing Kunbi certificated to the Marathas.

Maharashtra CM Shinde emphasised that Jarange Patil's demand was not to take away the reservation for the OBC. "OBC and Marathas live together in villages. Manoj Jarange Patil is of the view that reservations for any community must not be taken," he said.

Patil in his address to the gathering said, "This struggle was for reservation for Marathas. We came here to give 54 lakh Kunbi certificates. We have been struggling for the past four months. My generation struggled to get this reservation. More than 300 people killed themselves during the struggle."

On May 5, 2021, the Supreme Court struck down reservations for the Maratha community in colleges, higher educational institutions, and jobs, after noting that there was no valid ground to breach 50 per cent reservation while granting Maratha reservation.