Maharashtra: OBCs threaten to form own political front

After the state legislature unanimously approved 16 per cent quotas for the dominant Marathas, organisations of the other backward classes (OBCs) in state have threatened to form their own political front to challenge established parties, who they allege, have failed to protect their interests.

OBCs, who compete with Marathas in control for local power centres, fear that if reservations for the Marathas, who have been declared as a socially and economically backward class (SEBC) fail to stand in court, they will be accommodated in the existing quotas for other backwards. Maratha groups have already demanded that they be declared as OBCs and included in the category.

OBC leaders are planning to form a political front of their own or support the one led by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's grandson and former Lok Sabha MP Prakash Ambedkar.

"The Maharashtra assembly has 35 OBC MLAs but none of them dared to protect our interests. We are making people aware about the need to ensure that only those who speak up for OBCs go to the Lok Sabha or legislative assembly instead of electing those affiliated to parties dominated by Marathas or the RSS. Fighting a legal battle against Maratha reservations is also being considered," said Shravan Deore of the Maharashtra OBC Sanghatana.

Deore, who was part of OBC awareness conclaves held at Pune, Sangli and Jalgaon, added that the around 350 classes recognised as OBCs in Maharashtra feared that if a separate 16 per cent quota for Marathas fell foul of the law, they would be included in the existing 19 per cent reservations for other backwards in Maharashtra. The conclaves are also being addressed by Congress MLC and Banjara leader Haribhau Rathod and activist and Sahitya Academy awardee Laxman Mane, who is known for his work among denotified communities.

While OBCs have 27 per cent reservations in jobs and employment at the Centre, they are divided into OBCs (19 per cent) and VJNT (11 per cent) in the state.

"We are planning to create an OBC front to field candidates for the Lok Sabha elections," he said, adding that claims about Marathas forming 30 per cent of the population were exaggerated.

“This includes both Marathas (warriors) and Kunbis (tillers). Kunbis (already recognised as OBCs) are more in number. The population figures for Marathas are being swollen in the absence of a caste-based census. Marathas dominate politics as they control co-operatives and economic centres. Their plans will be shattered in 2019,” charged Deore. He added that the report of the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission (MSBCC) on which basis Marathas were granted quotas, had several lacunae.

OBC leader Namdeorao Kargane from Sangli, who is involved in organising these conferences, said the entry of Marathas in the OBC category would stem the upward mobility for OBC castes like Malis and Telis, who were also getting accommodated in local power structures due to reservations in local body elections. “Some of us have floated the idea of supporting Prakash Ambedkar’s Bahujan Vanchit Aghadi,” he added.

Quantum of reservations:

SC and SC converts to Buddhism: 13%
ST: 7%
OBC (covers both, Hindus and non-Hindus with economic ceiling): 19%
Vimukta Jati and Nomadic Tribes (VJNT): 11%
SBC: 2%
SEBC: Marathas: 16%
Total: 68%