After the state government announced that it would provide reservation benefits to the Maratha community, various OBC organisations as well as the Opposition questioned the creation of a separate SEBC (Socially and Educationally Backward Class). They further demanded that a separate sub-category under the Other Backward Class (OBC) be made for the Marathas.
The Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said that even after 58 massive silent marches and martyrdom of 40 Marathas, the community is not getting its due since the state seems ambiguous on this issue. He further said that the Maratha community if included under SEBC would be deprived of opportunity in Central government jobs and UPSC examinations. He demanded that the government should immediately bring the OBC Commission report before the state Assembly for it to become a public document.
According to sources, the government is clear about what it wants to do and a bill would be brought before the Assembly so that the Maratha community would be provided with reservation benefits.
Sources further said that since Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has made it amply clear that the OBC Commission recommendations have been accepted in the Cabinet, it is clear that the Maratha community would be provided with reservation benefits. Pointing out how the High Court did not consider the Rane Committee report and quashed the ordinance brought in by the previous Congress-NCP government, it was said that the court felt reservation was being politicised and so, it did not entertain the demands. A minister of state, under the condition of anonymity, said that since OBC Commission is statutory and headed by a retired justice, court does not smell any politics in it.
Rasthriya Satyashodhak OBC Federation leader and former Lok Sabha MP Haribhau Rathod said, as it is Kunabis (Maratha farmers) from Vidarbha are availing reservation benefits since Kunabis are counted under the OBC. Rathod questioned the OBC Commission report and said that they have a sample size of less than fifty thousand and without caste-based census how can one decide if Marathas constitute 32 or 30 per cent of the state population?
Rathod said that while granting reservation the Mandal Commission had gone for caste-based survey of OBCs and there is a need for a similar survey for Marathas before giving them reservation benefits. OBC leader Prakash Shendge said that the Maratha community is being betrayed with the introduction of SEBC.
WHY NOT HAPPY
According to Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patilr, if Marathas are included under SEBC they will be deprived of Central government jobs and appearing for UPSC examinations
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