Maratha groups call for bandh on October 10 demanding reservation

In what would be a litmus test for the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government, several Maratha groups and organisations have called for Maharashtra bandh on October 10 to press for the demand of reservation to the politically-influential community.

The Supreme Court had stayed the law in Maharashtra that provided reservation to the Maratha community under the specially-created Socially & Economically Backward Class (SEBC). However, the Maharashtra government has appealed in a larger bench to vacate the stay.

In 2018, when the BJP-Shiv Sena government was in power, the Maharashtra legislature had unanimously resolved to provide 16 per cent reservation to the community in jobs and education. The Bombay High Court had upheld the decision but asked the state government to ensure that the quota does not exceed 12 per cent in employment and 13 per cent in admission in educational institutions.

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The Marathas account for nearly 33 per cent of the total 11.25 crore population of Maharashtra.

Thackeray, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Public Works Department Minister Ashok Chavan, after a series of consultation within Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress, BJP’s leader of opposition in Assembly Devendra Fadnavis and his counterpart in Council Pravin Darekar, announced some sops.

The government has decided to extend the reservation meant for Economically Weaker Section (EWS) to the Maratha community.

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, VJNT, Special Backward Class and Nomadic Tribes account for 13 per cent.

“We will ensure that the certificates needed for the EWS quota are issued and the legal issues involved are resolved at the earliest. The state government will try to safeguard the interest of the Maratha community even while abiding by the interim stay of the Supreme Court,” said Chavan.

However, groups like the Maratha Kranti Morcha are not satisfied and have decided to go in for a state-wide bandh to press for reservation.

“The government has said that benefits of EWS will be extended to those from SEBC. The Supreme Court has stayed the implementation of the SEBC Act, 2018, granting reservation to Maratha community in jobs and admissions. It is the government’s duty to get the stay vacated,” said MKM Convenor Suresh Patil.