Maharashtra Backward Class Panel Submits Maratha Survey Report, CM Urges Activist Manoj Jarange To End Fast
A special session has been scheduled for February 20 to address the Maratha community's demands for quota in education and government jobs.
The Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission presented its findings on the social, economic, and educational backwardness of the Maratha community in a report submitted on Friday, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said in a statement.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde appealed to Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange to conclude his indefinite hunger strike, emphasising the government's affirmative stance towards providing reservation to the community, according to the CMO statement.
The comprehensive report, covering nearly 2.5 crore families, will serve as the foundation for enacting legislation to secure reservation for the Maratha community, backed by essential data, the CMO affirmed. Justice (retd) Sunil Shukre, the chairperson of the commission, submitted the report to CM Shinde in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
"The survey findings will be deliberated upon in the state cabinet meeting," quoted CM Shinde.
A special session has been scheduled for February 20 to address the Maratha community's demands for quota in education and government jobs.
Shinde assured that Marathas would be granted reservation without disrupting the existing quotas for other communities. He urged activist Jarange to end his fast, asserting the government's positivity towards granting reservation to the community.
"When the government is fully committed to giving reservation to the Maratha community, there should be no reason to protest," Shinde remarked.
Activist Jarange has been on an indefinite fast in Jalna district since February 10, advocating for Maratha reservation.
The backward class panel's survey, conducted from January 23 involving 3.5 to 4 lakh state government personnel, encompassed 2.5 crore families.
In a parallel effort, the government initiated a search for Kunbi records. Jarange has been demanding Kunbi certificates for all Marathas, as Kunbi falls within the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.
The survey on Maratha backwardness supports the state's curative petition in the Supreme Court concerning the quota for the community.
In 2021, the Supreme Court invalidated reservations for Marathas in college admissions and jobs in Maharashtra, citing a lack of exceptional circumstances to justify breaching the 50 per cent ceiling on overall reservations. The state's review plea was rejected, leading to the filing of a curative petition.
Simultaneously, members of Maratha organisations staged a road blockade on the Pune-Solapur highway near Pune to express solidarity with Jarange. Mayur Dorge, a member of 'Sakal Maratha Samaj,' condemned the government's indifference towards Jarange's demands and highlighted the protest's aim to support his cause. A similar protest occurred near Kiwale Road in the Pimpri Chinchwad area.
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