OBC outfits to challenge GR in HC, demand caste census

The Shiv Sena-BJP government's promise to include the Maratha community in the OBC category has angered existing OBC communities, who fear it will affect their benefits. Over 40 outfits gathered in Mumbai to plan protests, demanding a caste-based census and challenging the government's decision. Protests are planned outside district collector's offices and a march to Mantralaya, with further action if the census does not happen.

MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena-BJP government’s promise to the Maratha community about their inclusion in the Other Backward Class (OBC) category with Kunbi caste certificates, has riled up communities that are already a part of OBC. They fear that the Maratha inclusion would compromise their share of benefits – such as government jobs and seats in educational institutes.

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On Tuesday, representatives of over 40 outfits gathered in Mumbai to decide their next course of action, while activists protested on Solapur-Dhule national highway to express their resentment and demanded safeguarding their reservation.

The representatives have chalked out a plan to protest the state government’s move and have demanded caste-based census in the state to find out the exact population of OBCs, which they say is over 50 percent. They have also discussed challenging the government’s GR for issuing Kunbi certificates to Marathas. “Any decision related to the providing reservation needs to be recommended by the state backward classes commission. Without this, it has no legal sanctity. Hence, we are also planning to challenge the government in high court,” said Chandrakant Bavkar, working president, OBC Janmorcha.

The community members said they will begin their protest outside all district collector’s offices across the state on September 18 and next month, they will march to Mantralaya. They have also said that if the caste-based census does not come through, they will surround the state legislature building in Nagpur during the winter session.

A protest is already on at Samvidhan Chowk in Nagpur. “We want the government to conduct the census for which a grand morcha will be carried out in October,” said Prakash Shendge, president, OBC Janmorcha.