Clarify stand on Maratha reservation, activists tell political parties

MUMBAI: The intensifying politics of Maratha reservation has spared no one, be it the ruling parties or the opposition. Maratha activists have been storming the meetings and rallies of all political parties, asking their leaders to make their stand clear on reservation for the community. Taking off from this, NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Sunday demanded that parties come clear on OBC reservation as well.

The latest instance of Maratha activism happened on Sunday, when a group of slogan shouters marched into a Congress meeting at Nanded and demanded that leaders like Nana Patole and Ramesh Chennithala clarify their stand on the reservation issue. That morning, another group had stopped the convoy of NCP founder Sharad Pawar and questioned him on his stand. Later, several activists raised slogans and held aloft black flags in Pawar’s rally.

The ruling Mahayuti alliance bore the brunt of Maratha anger in the Lok Sabha elections, losing seats in Marathwada and western Maharashtra in particular. Now, as the assembly elections approach, several Maratha groups comprising people from different political parties have stepped up their agitation, and trained their guns on both the ruling and opposition alliances.

The face-offs began on August 5 when a local group from Dharashiv entered the hotel where Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray was staying and demanded that he clarify his stand on Maratha reservation. Thackeray, who was on a tour of Marathwada, a few hours earlier in Solapur had questioned the need for a reservation system. On August 8, when he entered Beed city, local activists raised slogans and threw suparis or betel nuts at him. The inference was that he was just a contractual or supari politician who was indirectly helping the Mahayuti alliance.

Later, on the night of August 10, another group questioned BJP MP Ashok Chavan when he was speaking at a public meeting at Mugat village in Nanded district. “How long will we have to wait for reservation?” they demanded. “We will cooperate with you in the assembly elections only if we get the benefits of reservation right away.” Chavan tried to convince them by saying that he supported reservation and also had respect for their leader Manoj Jarange-Patil.

On Sunday morning, a group of Maratha activists under the leadership of local MNS leader Sagar Lokare stopped Sharad Pawar’s car at Kurduvadi when he was on his way to Barshi for a rally. “Do you support Maratha reservation and the demand for Maratha reservation in the OBC quota?” asked Lokare. Pawar replied that he supported Maratha reservation and immediately left the place. Later, when he was addressing the rally, an activist waved a black flag and another, Babasaheb Barkool, poured petrol on himself. The police immediately detained both of them.

Congress leaders also faced the heat at the party’s divisional review meeting at Nanded on Sunday afternoon. State congress in-charge Ramesh Chennithala, state president Nana Patole, and senior leaders Balasaheb Thorat and Vijay Wadettiwar were present on the dais when a group of Maratha activists entered the hall. The police tried to stop them but they forced their way in, reached the dais and shouted slogans, demanding that Congress leaders clarify the party stand on Maratha reservation. After Chennithala held a brief discussion with them and said that the Congress supported it, the activists calmed down and left.

NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal, while taking off on the Maratha reservation issue at the OBC Arakshan Bachao Mahaelgar rally in Sangli on Sunday, declared that all political parties would have to make their stand clear on OBC reservation. He warned the parties not to forget that OBCs were 54% of the population, and declared that it was impossible to give reservation to Marathas in the OBC quota.

“All Marathas are not bad but do not spare those who want to cut into OBC reservation,” he said. “CM Eknath Shinde and DCMs Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis have already said that the OBC quota will not be touched. Go and ask MVA leaders Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray if they are ready to give OBC reservation to Marathas.”

Bhujbal also said that everyone now wanted to become Kunbi (a Maratha sub-caste that gets reservation benefits in the OBC category) to get reservation benefits. “So will there be any Marathas left in the state?” he said sarcastically. Bhujbal also slammed Maratha activist Manoj Jarange-Patil for his declaration that his people would fight 288 seats in the assembly elections. “Let him win at least eight seats in the assembly elections,” he said.

The OBC leader also criticised Jarange-Patil and his men for abusing leaders who refused to speak as they wanted them to, and for their attacks in villages on the OBCs. He also demanded a caste census to ascertain the population of every community.