Amid calls by various Maratha organisations demanding the restoration of reservation in education and government jobs, the Shinde-Fadnavis government on Tuesday set up a six-member cabinet sub-committee headed by the higher and technical education minister Chandrakant Patil.
The committee includes revenue minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, rural development minister Girish Mahajan, ports minister Dada Bhuse, excise minister Shambhuraj Desai and industry minister Uday Samant.
The committee will tackle legislative action on the recommendations made by the Maharashtra State Backward Classes Commission on social, educational and economic issues and related matters pertaining to the Maratha community.
During the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government, former chief minister Ashok Chavan was heading the cabinet committee on Maratha reservation which was scrapped by the Supreme Court in May 2021.
The Maratha reservation expert Balasaheb Sarate, who has been an ardent advocate of the restoration of Maratha reservation, said that ‘’The Maratha community has been included in the state list of OBCs with the government resolution of June 1, 2004 as Maratha Kunbi or Kunbi Maratha. Further, the MSBCC headed by justice MG Gaikwad has categorically concluded that Kunbi caste, which is already in OBC, and the Maratha community are one and the same. In view of the MSBCC’s report now the Maratha community has sought the respective clarification in order to get the caste certificate of Kunbi caste as a sub caste.’’
Dr Sarate said that because of MSBCC’s opinion, the Maratha community, which constitutes 30% in the state, will be entitled to share the benefits of reservation in the existing 19% OBC quota in Maharashtra.
Alternatively, as per the MSBCC’s recommendations, the Maratha community will have to be included as a separate class in the list of 19% OBC quota.
As per the recent report by the Jayant Banthia Commission, the total population of all OBC communities in Maharashtra is estimated at 37% and based on this finding OBCs are entitled to get only 50% reservation of their population proportion in the state. That means all OBC communities will get 19% and the existing total quota for OBCs is 32% of which Maratha community can get 12% in education and 13% government jobs.
