At a meeting in Khammam, BC Welfare Association leader Gundala Krishna demanded statutory recognition for OBCs within the Women's Reservation Bill, stressing the need for a sub-quota for OBC women. He criticised the government for pushing the bill without conducting a caste-based census.
Maharashtra minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said a government delegation, led by retired Justice Sandeep Shinde, will hold talks with Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange, who is on an indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan demanding OBC quota recognition for Marathas
The OBC leaders will take an appropriate decision after talks with CM Shinde and other leaders on Friday, said Sachin Rajurkar, general secretary of Rashtriya OBC Mahasangh
Ravindra Tonge, head of the students' wing of the Rashtriya OBC Mahasangh, has been on a hunger strike here for the last 18 days, demanding that the Maratha community not be included into the OBC category.
The bill, which earmarks 33 per cent seats in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies for women, won't be implemented till 2034 and the Bharatiya Janata Party was just trying to mislead people, Mallikarjun Kharge added
Speaking to press, Dimple Yadav said, You have brought this reservation and when you say that your existence and dominance is based on OBC voters then why do you not want to give political rights to OBC women?
Rahul Gandhi said that the Women's Reservation Bill is a big step but I would like to see OBC reservation included in this bill. "It is a big step and I am sure everybody - the treasury benches and the Opposition - in this room agrees that this is a very important step for the women of our country
I am happy that the women's reservation bill was introduced, but I am feeling somewhat dejected because it has come without reservation for OBC women, said Senior BJP leader Uma Bharti
