Accommodate Marathas under OBC category, demands Jarange-Patil as Oct 24 deadline looms

Mumbai: A day before he takes a call on the future course of action, Manoj Jarange-Patil on Saturday asked the Centre and the Maharashtra government to accommodate the Maratha community under the OBC category.

Jarange-Patil demanded that the Maratha community should receive the quota benefits as originally recommended by the Mandal Commission for the backward classes.

Jarange-Patil asked the government to issue Kunbi caste certificates to the Maratha community so that they get reservations under the category of OBCs.

However, while a section of Maratha leadership and the protestors are against the inclusion of the Maratha community as Kunbis, the OBC Mahasangh is up in arms against any possible move of dilution of quota.

Of the total 52 per cent reservation in the state, SCs and STs account for 13 and 7 per cent, respectively, OBCs get 19 per cent, Vimukta Jati & Nomadic Tribes (VJNT), Special Backward Class and Nomadic Tribes account for 13 per cent.

On Sunday, Jarange-Patil’s team is expected to meet at the Antarwali Sarathi village in Ambad tehsil of Jalna - on the Dhule-Solapur Road to take a call on the future course of action when the 24 October deadline ends.