Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Reservation issue' rhat was published in Newsband

Reservation issue

The Maratha community has secured yet another promise of reservation in government jobs and educational institutions. The proposal has been cleared by the Maharashtra Cabinet, but is yet to be passed in the State Assembly. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis defended this saying it is in line with the recommendations. State Backward Class Commission (SBCC) report mandates reservations for Marathas under a new, separate Socially and Educationally Backward Class category.

The BJP-Shiv Sena government has sought to provide the reservations under a separate category. The Cabinet’s nod is in any case born of political exigency, not socio-economic reasons. The SBCC’s report do not square with available data. As with Jats in Rajasthan and Patels in Gujarat, they enjoy a socio-economic status closer to that of the forward classes (and castes) in Maharashtra.

The assertions of backwardness by sections of dominant communities such as Marathas, Patels and Jats have largely been due to perceptions about the relative inability to move up the economic ladder. Affirmative actions are for the people who have any kind stigma attached with their name. In the past or may be in present as well, wherever the word "Maratha" is pronounced most of the times it is followed by the word ‘Pride’. How a community that is proud of its name and having valorous history would present itself backward.

Everyone wants a ' good quota'. Thousands of caste and sub- castes in the country should be given quota according to their proportion of population. Why leave out the Brahamins and Rajputs? Why not reservations for legislators too? It will open up a fresh demand from any community which feels that it is left out in the recruitment bazar.

Organisations of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) said that this was an attempt to give a share of their reservation to that community. They said the BJP-led State government had betrayed the OBCs. The Backward Classes Commission had an overwhelming majority of Marathas, and the report came out in favour of Marathas.

Fadnavis blamed the opposition for spreading the mis-information and attempt to create animosity within the communities over the Maratha reservation issue.