Mumbai, June 3: The political landscape in Maharashtra is heating up once again over the Maratha reservation issue. OBC organizations and leaders have issued a stern warning to the government. They stated that if the Maratha community is included in the OBC category or if the ‘Sage-Soyare’ ordinance is implemented, a large and aggressive movement will erupt across the state. Leaders emphasized that this decision would directly impact the rights of the OBC community, and the government would be fully responsible for the consequences.
Leaders associated with the OBC Federation gathered in Mumbai on Tuesday to voice their opposition and demand the withdrawal of the government’s proposal. They argue that including the Maratha community in the OBC category would disrupt the existing reservation framework.
They referenced the Supreme Court’s ruling that capped reservations at 50 percent. Currently, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes receive 22 percent and OBCs 27 percent reservations, respectively. Adding any new category could upset this balance.
The leaders also claimed that the Maratha community is socially and economically strong, making it inappropriate to include them in the OBC category. They pointed out that Kunbi and Maratha are distinct communities. However, provisions like ‘Sage-Soyare’ could lead to the creation of fraudulent certificates by digging through old records, potentially affecting job and educational opportunities for OBC youth.
OBC leaders have given the government a deadline of June 12. They warned that if their demands are not met, significant protests will commence statewide, including a march in Mumbai and a potential statewide shutdown.
Meanwhile, OBC leader Prakash Shendge called for the immediate dissolution of the special committee formed to protect OBC interests. He demanded the establishment of a new committee, alleging that the current one is not effectively addressing OBC concerns.
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