Pune: Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Tuesday said it was unjustified to take away reservation from one community and give it to another, and alleged that no government in the state, other than those led by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and his predecessor Eknath Shinde, had done justice to the Maratha community.
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Speaking to reporters in Pune, Bawankule said it has been the BJP's stand that the Maratha community should get reservations.
"Under the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, a decision on Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) was implemented. After EWS, protests over quotas in other states came to an end, and because of it, several open categories, including the Maratha community, benefited," the minister said.
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However, taking away quota from one community and giving it to another is not justified, he said, referring to activist Manoj Jarange's demand for the inclusion of the Maratha community in the Other Backwards Class (OBC) category.
The activist went on a hunger strike at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai, seeking a 10 per cent quota for the Maratha community in government jobs and education under the OBC grouping.
Since the formation of Maharashtra, no government, barring those led by Fadnavis and Shinde, has done justice to the Maratha community, he claimed.
Bawankule pointed out that the state government has implemented schemes such as SARTHI to strengthen the Maratha community.
"It is our responsibility to strengthen the Maratha community further, and the government is committed to that. But while doing so, the state government is taking precautions to ensure that other communities, including several sub-castes under the OBCs, are not subjected to injustice," he said.
The minister maintained that the Maratha community has a reservation under EWS, and that should remain with them.
"Taking away the concessions of 353 sub-castes in the OBC category to give them to Marathas is not acceptable to anyone," he added.
Bawankule also appealed for restraint.
"Everyone should ensure that the law and order situation is not disturbed. I believe that instead of taking extreme steps and creating an atmosphere of chaos in the state, a solution can be found through mutual cooperation," he said.
