Rift between Marathas and OBCs over quota worrying: Sharad Pawar
Sharad Pawar suggested that the Eknath Shinde government should hold talks with Maratha activist Manoj Jarange-Patil and OBC leaders to resolve the issue
Mumbai: Concerned over the deepening discontent between Maratha and OBC communities over reservation issue, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday said there’s an urgent need for a dialogue with the stakeholders to pacify the situation.
The 83-year-old politician suggested that the Eknath Shinde government should hold talks with Maratha activist Manoj Jarange-Patil and Other Backward Class (OBC) leaders to resolve the issue.
“It is disturbing that a few districts in Marathwada have posed against each other over the reservation issue which has led to the unprecedented rift between Maratha and OBS communities. I learnt that members from both communities are boycotting hotels and other establishments run by the other. This is disturbing,” said Pawar, who was on a tour of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, formerly Aurangabad.
As part of his outreach, Pawar said he will tour the affected areas such as Beed and Jalna and talk to the people. “There is bitterness and misunderstanding between the two communities. This is dangerous. After the current session of Parliament, I will tour the area.”
Jarange has been demanding the implementation of the draft notification that recognises Kunbis as ‘sage soyare’ (blood relatives) of Marathas and reservation to the latter under the OBC category. Kunbis get quota benefits as OBCs.
However, OBC members, including Chhagan Bhujbal, have stressed that their quota should not be diluted. “Jarange said that reservations should also be given to Lingayats, Muslims and the Dhangar (shepherd) community. The process for talks over quota in the right direction seems to have begun. If this is done, there will be no bitterness in society,” he said.
“The dialogue with stakeholders over quota should have been done by now. The chief minister talks with one set of people, while others in the government hold talks with different groups. This creates misunderstanding,” he said.
Pawar said he recently shared his feedback with Eknath Shinde who appeared favourable to a dialogue. “The government should call Maratha activist Manoj Jarange, (minister) Chhagan Bhujbal, Laxman Hake and others committed to OBC reservation for talks,” he said.
Reacting to Pawar’s statement, Shinde, whom the NCP chief recently met over the issue of the Maratha quota, said everyone should unite to resolve this issue. However, his ally- the BJP has criticised Pawar. Senior leader and revenue minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil alleged Pawar is politicising the issue. “What did Pawar do about the Maratha reservation when he was the chief minister of Maharashtra,” Patil said.
Jarange-Patil too reacted over the development, alleging that both ruling and opposition parties are “fooling the Maratha community” by resorting to talks instead of taking decisions sought by him.
About seat-sharing among the Maha Vikas Aghadi, comprising his party, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress, ahead of the assembly polls, Pawar said the alliance partners have suggested a few names for the discussion. It has been agreed that the decision over seat-sharing will be taken unanimously, he said. “I have also said that the Left parties that did not demand a single seat in the last Lok Sabha elections should also be given a seat share in the upcoming assembly polls. The seat-sharing talks will take place after the current session of Parliament,” said Pawar.
He also shared his views on the recently announced schemes of the state government. “People say that ‘Ladki Bahin’ and ‘Ladka Bhau’ schemes were announced just because the assembly polls are around the corner. These schemes may end up with one or two instalments,” he said.
Durrani quits Ajit’s party, returns to Pawar
Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party’s MLC Babajani Durrani joined the Sharad Pawar-led faction of the party. Against this backdrop, Pawar said that the leader who took the extreme stand (during the split in NCP last year) would not be taken back to his fold. “Some of them (who had gone with Ajit Pawar) have been getting in touch with us. The ones who are with us by ideology will be considered for their re-induction in the party. We are not in favour of taking all of them back to the fold,” he said.