Maratha quota: Union Minister Narayan Rane expressed dissatisfaction with the Maharashtra government's decision to extend all benefits enjoyed by the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) to the Maratha community until they receive reservation and said that the move could lead to unrest in Maharashtra.
He also said he will hold a press conference today and speak more about the Maratha quota issue.
'May lead to unrest'
"I do not agree with the decision taken by the state government regarding the Maratha reservation and the assurances given. It will lead to suppression of the Maratha community that has a historical legacy and it will also be an encroachment on the other backward communities and may lead to unrest in the state. On Monday, January 29, I will address this issue in detail at the Press Club," roughly translated from Marathi.
Maratha quota row
On January 27, activist Manoj Jarange called off his indefinite fast for Maratha quota after the Maharashtra government accepted his demands, with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announcing that till the Marathas get a reservation, they will be given all the benefits enjoyed by the OBCs.
A draft notification was issued by the government recognising as Kunbis all blood relatives of the Maratha community members whose Kunbi caste records have been found, making them eligible to claim the Kunbi (OBC) certificate.
Kunbi, an agrarian community, falls in the OBC category, and Jarange, who is spearheading the agitation for reservation for the Marathas since last August, has been demanding Kunbi certificates for all Marathas.
Chhagan Bhujbal announces protest by OBCs
Maharashtra Minister Chhagan Bhujbal has also expressed dissatisfaction over the state government's decision and questioned the backdoor entry of Marathas into the OBC category. He has also announced protests and agitation outside the residences of MLAs, MPs, and tehsildars on February 1.
The Minister of Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Protection of Maharashtra said that they would gather outside the residences of MLAs, MPs and tehsildars to protest against the current decision of the state government that is taking illegal ways to offer reservation benefits to the Maratha community.
