In a significant statement, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar on Monday asked the Centre to undertake a caste-based census and relax the 50 per cent cap on reservations for serving the larger interests of social justice.
Pawar’s statement assumes significance in the wake of the Supreme Court striking down the Maratha quota and demand by various communities across the country seeking reservation.
"Two days back, the Centre asked states to prepare a list of OBC reservations. Many people think that the reservation can be provided by the state government. But they're being misled. prior to this, the Supreme Court had taken an important decision and said that reservation over 50 per cent can't be given,”he said.
Pawar, a four-time Maharashtra chief minister and three-term union minister, said that he has conveyed the same to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“When I met the Prime Minister in New Delhi (in June), I told him that since the Supreme Court has quashed the Maratha quota and ruled that states had no right to provide reservations, the Central government should take the initiative (to relax the 50% reservation ceiling). Now that the Centre has given the right (to prepare OBC lists) to states, it should relax the 50 per cent cap (on reservations). I hope that he will do so,” he said.
Pawar pointed out that reservation in most of the states is above 60 per cent.
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