Maharastra CM Rejects Demand for Maratha Quota

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday rejected the inclusion of Marathas in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. The Chief Minister promptly rejected Maratha quota leader Manoj Jarange Patil’s demand, stating that Marathas cannot be classified as Kunbis, a caste currently listed under OBC.

CM Fadnavis emphasised that every citizen has a democratic right to protest or organise a march for their demands. And so, protesting and demanding from the government is well within the ambit of democratic bounds.

“As long as protests and marches are conducted democratically, we have no objection. We will respond to them in the same democratic spirit. I, however, fail to understand why there is renewed agitation when the Maratha community has already been granted reservation,” said Fadnavis.

He further stated that the government has received claims that Marathas and Kunbis are the same. However, legally and constitutionally, they cannot be treated as one.

“In the OBC category, there are already 350 communities. Including Marathas in this list would result in injustice to those already classified under OBC,” explained Fadnavis. He further elaborated that the state government has already provided a separate reservation for Marathas under the Socially and Economically Backward Class (SEBC) category. Additionally, they are also eligible for benefits under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota at both state and central levels.

“We are open to undertaking various measures to uplift economically backward Marathas, but they cannot be granted political reservation through inclusion in the OBC category. We are willing to hold talks and listen to their concerns, but it’s important for members of the Maratha community to understand and advocate within their own circles that SEBC benefits offer them more advantages than OBC. The data supports this,” the CM said.

“There is no plan to include Marathas in the OBC category. We will ensure no injustice is done to either Marathas or OBCs. Our intention is to address and resolve issues, not to create confusion,” assured Mr. Fadnavis to the OBC community.

But this statement by the CM has not been received well by many, including Maratha quota leader Manoj Jarange Patil, who reiterated that Marathas and Kunbis are the same. According to him, there are cultural and social ties such as intermarriage and shared customs.

“If Kunbis are included in the OBC list, why are Marathas left out and deprived of reservation benefits?” Patil questioned.