MVA government will be responsible for anomaly in Maratha quota: Raje

BJP MP Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje questions the intentions of the state government regarding the Maratha quota issue

Pune: BJP Member of Parliament Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje on Thursday questioned the intentions of the state government regarding the Maratha quota issue.

BJP MP Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje. (HT)

“I am unable to understand what is happening in the case of Maratha quota under the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) category reservations. The state government is yet to take a firm stand on separate reservation quota. The Supreme Court will hear the case on January 25 and the state cabinet on Wednesday approved the proposal of extending the EWS quota to the community. I am suspecting something suspicious about the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government’s decision. The government will be solely responsible for any lack of benefit for the Maratha community,” said Raje.

Addressing the media at Patrakar Bhavan on Thursday morning, Raje said, “I want the state government to share their intention about their preparations before the Supreme Court on the January 25 hearing. If they wanted to take the decision to give Maratha community benefit in EWS category then they would had taken it much earlier. I request the Maratha community to study the EWS reservation of 10 per cent and how many will fit into it, as the open category includes several other communities also. I don’t oppose EWS personally, but if we take reservation from this quota then there will be problems to SEBC category.”

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court gave its stay to implement the quota for the Maratha community under the SEBC category. It was later challenged by the Maharashtra government. A constitutional bench of the apex court will hear the case on January 25 next year.

Pravin Gaikwad, president of Sambhaji Brigade organisation of the Maratha community, said, “Our original demand was getting an economical base reservation and that we are getting by this new order of the state government. While in the OBC category earlier there were 180 castes which have now increased to 404 castes, it has increased from 52 per cent to 60 per cent in castes. In this, they are getting 25 per cent reservation which is less than their actual percentage of total castes. Now, if Maratha community will be added to it, then it will be a lot of burden on that reservation category. So, now we are getting reservation through EWS. It is beneficial for students and in job opportunities in government jobs.”