The political and social fabric in the neighbouring state of Maharashtra is presently going through a major upheaval over the issue of reservation for Marathas. The fight for the reservation has led to a new conflict between Marathas and OBCs. If this continues then the social harmony of the State, which has laid foundation to multiple revolutionary social reforms, will suffer irreparable damage. Manoj Jarange Patil who is leading the fight for reservation and Chagan Bhujal, OBC leader as well as minister in the government, have levied accusations against each other. If the government grants Kunbi certificates to Marathas then naturally they will be part of OBCs’ reservation quota. And hence, the entire OBC community has gathered against this very demand.
Although the Maharashtra government has assured of providing reservations to Marathas without shaking up the OBC quota, its feasibility remains the biggest question. Presently, there is 52% of reservations in practice in Maharashtra, which includes SC, ST, NT and OBC castes. The total percentage goes upto 62%, considering 10% of EBC reservations. If any more castes were to be included in this then it would require to prove that the respective community is socially and educationally backward, which is the biggest challenge for the government. The Maratha community can claim for reservations only if the State Commission of Maharashtra for Backward Class gives its nod. For that to happen, the Maharashtra government has decided to conduct a social and economical survey of Marathas through the State Commission just like the Bihar government did. In short, this will be a caste-based census.
The Commission will survey OBCs, VJNTs, Marathas and also all the other castes which are recognised as general categories; a move welcomed by Marathas. Although it is true that this survey will help in understanding social and economic status of each caste, the turn this agitation might take is unpredictable if Marathas fail to be identified as backward – be it socially, educationally and financially. It is clear that Marathas in Maharashtra are not indiscriminately backward given how strongly Jarange has pushed for Marathas to be granted Kunbi certificates. According to Jarange, a Maratha who does farming is originally a Kunbi. However, if one were to review Maharashtra’s social and political history, the majority of the chief ministers have been from the Maratha caste. Also, a majority of the ruling MLAs belong to Maratha community. Whether it’s the sugar industry, banking sector or credit societies, the people identifying as Marthas have dominated these areas. So, when the Commission will look at Marathas in general as a community or a caste, they will have to take into consideration these factors as well. Infact, these factors will come up on their own after the survey, and so, the possibility for the Maratha community to be recognised as a backward class seems low. Yes, one thing that could become crystal clear is the statistics regarding Marathas who are below poverty line, or those who do not possess agricultural land or the unemployment rate within Maratha youth. In short, the survey will help in understanding the economical background of various Maratha families.
The government will then have to ponder over how to provide reservation to financially weak Marathas without reshuffling OBC quota. Presently, Marathas do enjoy the right to reservation from 10% of EBC (Economically Backward Classes) quota but it is a question as to how many truly get the benefit of it. On the other hand, the survey will also reveal the statistics of other castes falling under general categories, which may lead to newer demands from other castes as well. The revelations which came forth after Bihar government’s caste-based survey led to the government extending reservations up to 75% in the state. The BJP, which accused the Bihar government of creating tension amongst people by conducting such a survey, will now have to show their consent for the same in Maharashtra where they have taken the position of an elder brother in the coalition.
Truth be told, this conflict actually is between rich vs poor which exists in all the communities. This divide came to the fore more strongly in the face of Marathas’ demand for reservation. This gap between other communities will also be known once the Commission concludes the survey. The drawback of all this could lead to open communal conflicts within various communities. And for this to happen in Maharashtra, which has been historically liberal, it would be a shame. Therefore, the government will have to handle the situation with ultimate sensitivity. Given the BJP’s style of ruling and stance towards opposition parties in the last few years, the possibility of the opposition cooperating with them in the matter is quite low. Infact, the MLAs from the ruling faction themselves have extended their support for the reservation which is adding pressure on the government. Whatever decision the government takes, it is bound to change the political course of Maharashtra.
