Loud echoes of Maratha reservation issue in Maharashtra

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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In the heart of Maharashtra, the echoes of the Maratha reservation debate reverberate loudly, with Marathwada emerging as a focal point of agitation.

In 2023, the houses of legislators were burnt and vandalized by angry Maratha protesters. Even though the Maharashtra government says that it has given reservation to the Marathas, the issue of Maratha reservation is still resounding.

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The bill granting 10% reservation for Marathas in government employment and educational institutions was unanimously approved by the Maharashtra Assembly during a special one-day session on February 20. Subsequently, the Maharashtra Legislative Council also endorsed the bill.

However, some of the Maratha organisations later claimed that this might not stand judicial scrutiny as the overall quota in the state now exceeds the 50% limit.

According to reports, OBCs constitute 34% of the total population of Maharashtra, while the Marathas account for 28%.

Marathas are 28% of the voters in the state. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged victorious in 23 out of the 48 seats in Maharashtra, with its erstwhile ally Shiv Sena securing victories in 18 constituencies. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Sharad Pawar, secured four seats, while the Congress and AIMIM each claimed one seat. An Independent candidate clinched the remaining seat.

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Earlier, activist Manoj Jarange Patil demanded that an entire Maratha community be provided a quota under the OBC category by identifying them as ‘Kunbi’ — which is an agrarian community that falls in the OBC category. However, Chhagan Bhujbal, a prominent OBC leader, has opposed the demand.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow