OBC activist warns of street protests over Maratha quota in Maharashtra

OBC activist Laxman Hake has threatened protests against Maharashtra’s move to grant Marathas Kunbi caste certificates, making them eligible for OBC reservations. He argued the state has no authority to alter quotas, warning of dissent among OBCs and VJNT communities.

Mumbai: OBC activist Laxman Hake has claimed the Maharashtra government has no right to accept the demand for providing Kunbi caste certificates to Marathas and warned the Other Backward Classes will take to the streets against the decision.

Political leaders should explain if they are open to dilution of the Other Backward Classes quota, said Hake, who has been opposing reservation to Marathas under the OBC grouping. He had earlier staged agitations against Manoj Jarange’s demand that Marathas be given reservation under the OBC category.

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Activist Manoj Jarange on Tuesday evening ended his five-day-old fast in Mumbai after the Devendra Fadnavis government accepted most of his demands, including granting eligible Marathas Kunbi caste certificates which will make them eligible for reservation benefits available to the OBCs. The Maharashtra government on Tuesday announced forming a committee to issue Kunbi caste certificates to Maratha community members with historical evidence of their Kunbi heritage, a social group classified as an OBC in the State.

The Kunbi is a traditional farming community in the state and they have been included in the list of OBC category in Maharashtra in order to make them eligible for government reservations in jobs and education. The government resolution (GR) issued by the social justice and special assistance department also mentioned about implementing the Hyderabad gazetteer.

Reacting to the GR and the decision to provide Kunbi caste certificates to eligible Marathas whose lineage documents are found, Hake claimed the government has no right to issue such a GR regarding reservations.

The gazetteer doesn’t say Marathas are socially backward and should be provided reservation, he further claimed. “Who says that revenue records in the gazetteer make them eligible for reservations?” the activist asked.

“The Hyderabad gazetteer says Banjara is a Scheduled Tribe. Will the government give ST reservation to Banjaras? The government shouldn’t create 10 other issues to resolve one. OBCs and VJNTs (Vimukt Jati and Nomadic Tribes) will take to the streets,” Hake said.

Political leaders should explain if they are open to intrusion in the OBC quota, he said.