Maratha quota agitation: OBC leaders warn Shinde govt. of trying to grab their reservation

Marathas & OBCs in tension over quota: Activist Manoj Jarange Patil alleges conspiracy to deny Marathas a quota; OBCs warn to hit streets & move courts to safeguard their 19% reservation. Govt. seeks to pacify both sides, OBCs rally in Jalna on Nov. 17.

Even as Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil on Tuesday alleged there was a “conspiracy” to deny the Marathas a quota, leaders from the other backward classes (OBC) took an aggressive stance against the activist’s demand on the Marathas being given a blanket reservation by being given Kunbi OBC certificates, warning to hit the streets and even move courts to safeguard their OBC reservation.

The intense friction between the Marathas and the OBC communities has been kindled by Mr. Jarange Patil’s two hunger fasts, the second of which concluded last week with the Eknath Shinde government caving in by agreeing to the activist’s demand of ensuring that Marathas be given OBC certificates by December 24.

This has provoked strident counter protests from the OBC community, who are fearful of the Marathas eating benefits from their 19% reservation pie, and particularly from Shinde’s ally - Chhagan Bhujbal of the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction, an influential OBC leader who has urged the community to fight tooth and nail against Mr. Jarange Patil’s demand.

Recuperating in Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad), Mr. Jarange Patil told reporters, “A few leaders have decided that Marathas should not to be avail of benefits. There seems to be a conspiracy to deny Marathas a quota. Without any reason, false cases have been lodged against Marathas agitating peacefully. I urge the Maratha leaders across party lines to look into this. If you do not help them now, they will never forgive you.”

Speaking in Kupwara, Jammu and Kashmir while unveiling an equestrian statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji, Mr. Shinde, in a thinly-veiled criticism of Bhujbal said., “No one ought to sow seeds of doubt among the OBC community. Our government’s stance is clear on this issue. We are trying to give the Marathas a foolproof reservation within the legal framework without adversely affecting the reservation of the OBCs.”

Mr. Bhujbal’s remarks has caused tension between the Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the NCP faction

Shinde camp Minister Shambhuraj Desai censured Mr. Bhujbal for making needlessly provocative statements.