Devendra FadnavisThe BJP on Sunday demanded an Ordinance declaring that reservation sanctioned to the Other Backward Class (OBC) category will remain intact and not touched to accommodate quota for the Maratha community.
Speaking at the party’s OBC conclave on Sunday, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, Devendra Fadnavis, urged party workers to be ready for long drawn battle ahead.
Admitting that OBC constituted a sizeable support base for the BJP, Fadnavis said, “Any attempt by the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress government to dilute the existing OBC quota will be countered by street agitation.”
“There are apprehensions that a section is demanding accommodation of Maratha reservation within the OBC quota… Therefore, it is the duty of state government to clarify its stand… The Maha Vikas Aghadi government should bring an ordinance stating OBC quota will remain intact. It will neither be tampered nor touched to accommodate any other community,” he added.
“When the BJP-led government was in power, we had sanctioned Maratha reservation under a special clause. They were given reservation under Socially and Educational Backward Class (SEBC) category. Although the Supreme Court has stayed the reservation, it has not struck down the special clause and the category. Therefore, the government should pursue the Maratha reservation case under SEBC. It should be independent quota. It cannot be linked to OBC,” said Fadnavis.
At present, Maharashtra provides reservation to 52 per cent of its population. Scheduled Castes have been granted 13 per cent reservation, followed by Scheduled Tribes (7 per cent), OBC (19 per cent), Special Backward Class (2 per cent), Vimukta Jati (3 per cent), Nomadic Tribe (2.5 per cent), Nomadic Tribe (C) Dhangar (3.5 per cent) and Nomadic Tribe (D) Vanjari (2 per cent).
Above this, the state has sanctioned 12 per cent and 13 per cent reservation to the Marathas in education and job, respectively. The Supreme Court, which has stayed the reservation, had earlier set a 50 percent ceiling for a state providing reservation to its various communities.