Mumbai: The Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government ran prominent ads in all leading Marathi newspapers Sunday and Monday, reiterating their commitment to grant reservation to the Maratha community. The ads also listed out everything that the government has done so far for Marathas.
The ad blitzkrieg came just ahead of a ‘deadline’ for the government issued by Maratha quota leader Manoj Jarange Patil. He’s demanding Kunbi caste certificates for Marathas from Marathwada, which would qualify them for reservations under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.
“After October 24, it will be either my funeral procession or the community’s victory celebration,” Jarange-Patil said on 14 October at a huge rally in Jalna district.
Last month, a hunger strike led by Jarange-Patil in Jalna district led to a violent clash between the police and protesters, thrusting him into the spotlight as a key figure in the Maratha reservation movement for government jobs and college admissions.
That crisis simmered down with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s assurances that the government was “committed” to securing a Maratha quota. But with another eruption looming on the horizon, options are limited. At present, the government’s primary recourse appears to be further assurances.
On the legal front, the Maharashtra government has approached the Supreme Court. The court agreed this month to hear a curative petition challenging its 2021 judgment, which invalidated the state’s Maratha reservation law under the Socially And Economically Backward category. However, a date is yet to be set for the hearing.
Moreover, the committee established by the Chief Minister last month to explore granting Kunbi Marathas OBC reservations has requested another two months for submitting its report.
“This is a judicial matter and we have to progress very carefully,” said state cabinet minister Deepak Kesarkar, speaking to ThePrint. “The government’s intention is very clear and we are committed. But it needs to stand in court of law. Things will take some time.”
The quota demand has a long history with multiple waves of agitation. However, Jarange Patil’s specific demand to provide Kunbi OBC caste certificates for Marathas has put the government in a tight spot, especially with the 2024 Lok Sabha and assembly elections approaching.
OBCs, which make up 52 percent of the state’s population and are a key BP vote bank, are against reservations under this category for the Marathas. On the flip side, the Marathas make up nearly 33 percent of the state’s population, and any move perceived as neglecting their interests could also come at a heavy political cost.
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Government dilemma
The Maharashtra government currently has no choice but to adopt a wait-and-see approach. But all eyes will be on Eknath Shinde during his Dussehra rally address on October 24 — and whether or not he makes the same assurances, or suggests a fresh alternative.
Notably, this week’s government ads mentioned that the Maratha community in Maharashtra is already benefiting from the 10 percent reservation for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) provided by the central government.
A senior Shiv Sena leader in the government suggested that this reference was strategic.
“The OBC community already has too many castes in it,” he said, pointing out that spreading reservations any thinner could invite backlash. “If Marathas are added in the EWS category, it is open and it will be more advantageous (for the government).”
The OBC community has been important to the BJP since the 1980s. This is when the party actively began promoting leaders like Gopinath Munde and Eknath Khadse, capitalising on the political disillusionment that OBCs felt with the Maratha-centric Congress.
On condition of anonymity, a senior BJP leader said that these issues cannot be resolved quickly.
“How do you expect the OBCs or any other community to let you enter into their quota? This is a question of law, and the matter is sub judice. Anyone would know that things cannot be solved in a jiffy. If everyone tries to take such an extreme step (as Jarange-Patil) then it will disturb law and order situation, which nobody wants,” he added,
Political analyst Pratap Asbe told ThePrint that the government’s hands are largely tied at the moment.
“The government will have to take it to the Centre for amendments in the reservation cap. But if that happens, then other states like Rajasthan, Gujarat can also take up similar demands to the Centre. So this option is not affordable for the Centre at the moment,” he said.
However, Asbe also observed that this situation could ultimately benefit the BJP politically due to the possible polarisation of votes on caste lines.
“Now since there is division between Marathas and OBCs, the Bahujan Samaj has become divided. The OBCs which have rallied behind BJP so far will mostly stay with them. The Maratha community has traditionally divided their votes amongst parties. It remains to be seen how this will pan out politically in the coming days,” he added.
Buying time?
In the Nizam era, Marathas in the Marathwada region were considered Kunbis and were in the OBC category. However, they lost this status when the region joined Maharashtra.
Now, quota activists like Manoj Jarange-Patil are demanding that Marathas be classified as Kunbis again, making them eligible for OBC reservation.
In August, Jarange-Patil started a protest and indefinite hunger strike in his village Antarwali Sarathi. The protest turned violent on 1 September, and the government had to intervene.
Chief Minister Shinde announced that the cabinet had resolved to grant Kunbi caste certificates to Marathas from Marathwada. He added that to qualify, people must provide historical revenue or education documents from the Nizam era that identify them as Kunbis. He also announced that a five-member panel would establish the procedure for this and that it would deliver its report in a month.
However, the panel has reportedly asked for two additional months and Jarange-Patil has made it clear that he is not willing to wait much longer.
“No political leader will be allowed in our villages until the issue of Maratha community is resolved. If you want to come to our villages, come with the reservation. If not, we will not even let you cross the village borders,” Jarange announced Sunday from his village Antarwali Sarathi.
Patil had also taken rallies across the state this month to address the issue and mobilise the community. He has reportedly toured 13 districts and addressed at least 75 meetings, according to his aides.
Dr. Balasaheb Sarate, a Maratha reservation researcher, expressed scepticism about the government’s intentions.
“The Shinde committee should have been ready with the report by now,” he said. “The fact that the committee still wants to buy more time raises a doubt that the state government is stalling by extending the deadline.”
(Edited by Asavari Singh)
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