Sharad Pawar, the chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), has urged the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government to increase the reservation quota in education and government jobs to 75%. This comes as the Maharashtra assembly elections approach and the Maratha reservation issue continues to escalate.
Pawar highlighted Tamil Nadu’s 69% reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and backward classes as an example for Maharashtra to follow. He emphasized the need for a constitutional amendment to surpass the 50% cap imposed by the Supreme Court on reservation quotas.
The Maratha community, led by activist Manoj Jarange-Patil, is pushing for reservation under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota by issuing Kunbi caste certificates. This has sparked tensions with OBC activists who oppose sharing their quota with Marathas. The unresolved reservation row has been a key factor in the ruling government’s recent electoral setbacks.
Pawar, a veteran leader from the Maratha community, believes that increasing the reservation cap by 25% would address the issues faced by various communities seeking reservation benefits. He has expressed support for the Maratha community’s demands and emphasized the importance of resolving the reservation issue before the upcoming assembly polls.
In addition to the reservation debate, Pawar also commented on leaders from the BJP and the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP joining his party ahead of the elections. He welcomed them back, citing their past collaborations and shared history within the political landscape.
The call for increased reservation quotas and the ongoing tensions surrounding the Maratha reservation row underscore the complex socio-political dynamics at play in Maharashtra. As the state prepares for crucial elections, the resolution of these issues will likely have a significant impact on the electoral outcomes and the future of reservation policies in the region.
