Maharashtra government has decided to bring a legislation promising reservation to Marathas (Source: File Photo)The Maharashtra government has decided to bring a legislation promising reservation to Marathas under the newly created independent category, Socially and Educationally Backward Class, in the ongoing Winter Session at the state legislative Assembly.
On Thursday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said at the Assembly: “The government has taken the decision to bring a legislation in the second week of the Winter Session. The legislation has factored in all legal and constitutional aspects that are mandatory for implementation.”
He added: “The Maratha reservation does not alter the existing 52 per cent quota in the state. Our efforts should be to unite people and not divide them in the name of caste or community. The purpose is to empower the eligible socially and educationally backward, while strictly adhering to the parameters laid down by the Constitution. The government has accepted all three major recommendations of the MSBCC.”
The government had set up the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission (MSBCC) and its report, based on a sample study of 45,000 families and two lakh recommendations, had unanimously concluded that Marathas are a socially and educationally backward class. The eligibility criteria for the Maratha quota was based on the findings derived from 25 parameters across social, economical and educational sectors. The passage of the legislation by a two-third majority in the Assembly and the council is must to implement the quota.
“The 50 per cent ceiling has been put by the Supreme Court. However, it has not stayed the decision of providing 69 per cent quota in Tamil Nadu… The Constitution has not imposed any ceiling on reservation. Therefore, constitutionally, Maratha reservation conforms to norms under socially and educational backwardness which has been established by MSBCC,” the CM said.
“The reservation to Marathas will be under a separate category and it will not disturb the OBC quota. Any attempt to include it in the OBC category would be catastrophic,” he added.
Maintaining that the government is committed to provide reservations to the Dhangars, Fadnavis said: “We set up a committee by Tata Institute of Social Sciences. Its report was received and cabinet sub-committee is scrutinising its recommendations. The recommendations will be placed before the Cabinet and then forwarded to the Centre.”
Earlier in the day, noisy scenes were witnessed in the Legislative Assembly with Opposition insisting that the government table the MSBCC report on Maratha quota and the TISS report on Dhangar reservation. The House had to be adjourned thrice; first till the end of Question Hour and then twice for 10 minutes before it was adjourned for the day.
“The government should have tabled the MSBCC for a thorough debate in the Assembly,” said NCP’s Ajit Pawar. WITH PTI
Patil to head cabinet sub-committee
The Cabinet sub-committee on Maratha reservation will be led by Revenue and Public Works Minister Chandrakant Patil. It will look into the legal and constitutional process to take forward the recommendations of the MSBCC to enforce the quota.
