Maratha Reservation To Coexist With OBC Rights – Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde
Mumbai, 6th September 2023: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde addressed concerns regarding Maratha community reservation while emphasizing the preservation of OBC reservations during a late-night interaction with media representatives at the Varsha Government Residence in Mumbai.
Shinde reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing reservation for the Maratha community while dispelling any concerns about compromising OBC reservations. He expressed disappointment that certain groups were attempting to sow discord between the Maratha community and their OBC counterparts.
He highlighted that the previous Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, had successfully granted 12 and 13 percent reservation to the Maratha community under SEBC status, a move upheld by the High Court without affecting the OBC quotas. However, this reservation was unfortunately overturned by the Supreme Court. Shinde acknowledged that the Maratha community believes that the previous government’s inadequate defence contributed to the reversal.
Shinde emphasized the determination of the Maratha community to secure their reservation and assured that every possible effort would be made to reinstate their canceled reservation. A curative petition is pending in the Supreme Court, and the government plans to pursue this avenue vigorously. An independent commission has been established to demonstrate the social backwardness of the Maratha community, supported by a task force of esteemed experts, including senior lawyer like Harish Salve. These efforts aim to prove the necessity of Maratha community reservation.
Furthermore, Chief Minister Shinde pledged that reservation for the Maratha community would not come at the expense of other communities’ reservations. He underscored the government’s commitment to ensuring that both the Maratha community and OBCs receive the necessary reservations.
In his closing remarks, Shinde appealed to all stakeholders not to spread misinformation and foster unity among the two communities.
