LS Polls: Maratha vs OBC reservation issue to have an imprint in Maharashtra

Mumbai: The still burning Marathas-vs-OBCs reservation issue, the demand for change in category for Dhangars, and the fresh pleas for Muslim reservation is likely to have its imprint during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra.

The caste lines are evident as Maharashtra, which has 48 seats— the second biggest state in terms of constituencies goes to polls in five phases.

The Maratha reservation demand has been one of the biggest political issues over the past five years (2019-24), whether it was the erstwhile Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi or Eknath Shinde-led Maha Yuti. Both sides have been at logger-heads over the issue.

Owing to the relentless protests by Jalna-based Manoj Jarange Patil, the Maha Yuti government has given access to two separate reservations to the Marathas, which is the politically-dominant community in the state.

The Maharashtra legislature unanimously passed the Maharashtra State Reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Bill, 2024, paving way for 10 per cent reservation to the community, which comprises 28 per cent population of the state.

The government has justified the Bill on multiple grounds. For Marathas, there are exceptional circumstances and extraordinary situation of backwardness, 21.2 per cent stay below poverty line as against state’s average of 17.4 per cent, 94 per cent of farmers who had died by suicide are Marathas and 84 per cent are from the non-creamy layer.

Reservation in the state

Scheduled Castes - 13 per cent - (59 castes)

Scheduled Tribes - 7 per cent - (47 tribes)

Other Backward Classes - 19 per cent - (246 castes)

Special Backward Classes - 2 per cent - (7 castes)

Vimukta Jati - 3 per cent - (14 tribes)

Nomadic Tribes (B) - 2.5 per cent (35 tribes)

Nomadic Tribes (C) - 3.5 per cent (1 tribe)

Nomadic Tribes (D) - 2 per cent (1 tribe)

Existing Total: 52 per cent

Besides, 10 per cent Economic Weaker Section benefits too are applicable across sections

Current addition

Marathas: 10 per cent (96 clans)

Advocate couple— Gunratan Sadavarte and Jaishri Patil along with others have already moved the Bombay High Court against the state’s move. “In the past, twice, the governments have failed to give reservation beyond the 50 per cent cap set by the Supreme Court. We had 52 per cent, and now it has gone to 62 per cent . We will go till the Supreme Court and protect the rights of people and prevent reverse discrimination,” said Sadavarte.

On the other hand, last year, the government, in a parallel exercise, had also searched for Kunbi-Maratha and Maratha-Kunbi records and around 57 lakh records have been found. Kunbis form a sub-caste of the Maratha and covered under OBCs, and thus the certificates would enable them to get reservation in jobs and education.

However, the OBC are up in arms against this as it would dilute their existing quota. “The practical solution is that Marathas get reservation as Kunbis under OBC category and benefits for ‘sage-soyare’-family tree for the community,” said Jarange-Patil, who is still on a protest-mode.

However, for Shinde and two Deputy Chief Ministers— Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, the big challenge comes from their own minister and veteran OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal, who is up in arms against Kunbi reservation as it would affect the existing quota.

As similar quotas (earlier 16 per cent) given in 2014 and 2019 could not be carried forward, this 10 per cent quota too is a challenge.

The Dhangar community, the traditional nomadic shepherds who get reservation in education and jobs under Nomadic Tribes (C) category which is 3.5 per cent, are demanding that they be placed under Scheduled Tribes, which gets 7 per cent reservation. The Dhangar leaders claim ‘Dhangar’ and ‘Dhangad’ are same and a "topographical error" has deprived them in Maharashtra from getting benefits under ST category like some other states. The Dhangars are planning a mammoth morcha in Nagpur coinciding with the session.

The Muslim community has also been demanding the revival of the 5 per cent quota. Maharashtra state Congress working president Naseem Khan has been demanding restoration of quota for Muslims for the last several years. Furthermore, All India Ulema Board (AIUB), which recently met in Pune, formally made a similar demand with Saleem Sarang, the chief of AIUB’s Wakf wing threatening to take on the streets like Marathas and Dhangars.