Mumbai: Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde (C), Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis (L), and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar addressing the media on the Maratha Reservation issue, at Sahyadri Guest House, in Mumbai, Monday, Sept. 11, 2023.
PTI Photo
Mumbai: One day after Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reaffirmed his government's dedication to securing reservations for the Maratha community, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar stated on Monday that substantial efforts are being made in this regard. They assured taking all aspects into consideration to ensure that the reservation can withstand judicial scrutiny.
The BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP's commitments were made one day prior to the 24th of October, the deadline set by the prominent Maratha reservation campaigner, Jalna-based activist Manoj Jarange-Patil, who has become a key figure in this cause.
Jarange-Patil, who is in his forties and heads the Shivba Sanghatana and has the support of several other organisations, has threatened to intensify the agitation and once again undertake a fast-unto-death from 25 October at his Antarwali Sarathi village in Ambad tehsil of Jalna district, located on the Dhule-Solapur Road.
On Sunday, Shinde said that on 13 October, the government had filed a curative petition in the Supreme Court, which was admitted by a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and would be listed in the due course of time, giving a window to pursue the case yet again.
Shinde has also asked for more time from the protestors and urged them not to take any extreme steps.
“We had given reservation to the Maratha community and it was cleared by the Bombay High Court, but was struck down by the Supreme Court. I don’t want to go into the details of why that happened,” said BJP leader and Deputy CM Fadnavis.
“We are committed to providing reservation to Marathas but need to ensure that it passes legal hurdles,” he added.
"We are dedicated to providing reservation to the Maratha community without impacting the reservation of other communities," NCP leader and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar stated.
Jarange-Patil has demanded that the Marathas be treated as Kunbis and that the reservation be extended to them under the OBC category.
While OBC Mahasangh President Babanrao Taywade has chosen to adopt a "wait and watch" approach, other OBC leaders have made it explicit that they will not permit any dilution of reservations for the OBC 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, Vimukta Jati & Nomadic Tribes (VJNT), Special Backward Class and Nomadic Tribes account for 13 per cent.
In May 2021, the Supreme Court had struck down the Maharashtra legislation providing reservation for the Maratha community by categorising them as part of the Socially and Economically Backward Class (SEBC).