In a passionate address to the media during her 'Shivshakti Parikrama Yatra,' former Maharashtra minister and BJP National Secretary, Pankaja Munde, emphasized the urgent need for concrete action regarding the Maratha community's reservation demands. Munde firmly asserted that the Maratha community has grown tired of empty promises and is seeking real solutions from the Maharashtra government.
Munde urged the state government to engage in productive dialogues with the quota protesters to break the ongoing deadlock. She stressed the importance of the government's confidence and courage in these discussions, emphasizing that the Maratha community deserves their rightful share of reservation, PTI reported.
Regarding the 50 percent quota cap challenge, Munde highlighted that if the state government is unable to exceed this limit, a significant decision would have to be made at the national level. She acknowledged the complexities faced by the central government, as similar reservation issues exist in multiple states, and reassured that it would operate within the bounds of the Constitution.
The BJP leader underscored that the Maratha community no longer desires empty assurances but demands tangible progress in the form of reservation. She further appealed to the government not to create divisions between the Maratha and Other Backward Classes (OBC) communities, emphasizing the importance of unity.
Munde encouraged Maratha community members to exert pressure on the government through peaceful protests and discouraged extreme measures like self-harm. She affirmed that their struggle would pave the way for a better future for subsequent generations.
The recent resurgence of the Maratha quota issue gained prominence when the police intervened in a violent confrontation in Antarwali Sarati village, Jalna district. The clash ensued after protesters allegedly prevented authorities from relocating Manoj Jarange, an activist on a hunger strike advocating for Maratha reservation. Jarange declared his intent to escalate his hunger strike, demanding the removal of genealogical evidence requirements for Marathas from the Marathwada region to obtain Kunbi caste certificates and access OBC category reservations.
In response, the state government issued a Government Resolution (GR) stipulating that Kunbi caste certificates would only be granted upon the submission of genealogical records from the Nizam era for Maratha community members from the Marathwada region. The Marathwada region was historically part of the Nizam-ruled Hyderabad state.
Kunbis, a community predominantly engaged in agriculture-related occupations, are categorized under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and enjoy reservation benefits in education and government employment. The Maratha reservation issue continues to be a contentious and pressing concern for the state of Maharashtra.
