Mahayuti’s Muslim quota decision signals BJP’s bid for closure, highlights NCP’s vote-bank dilemma

Incidentally, whether by coincidence or design, the decision taken on Tuesday, February 20, came less than 24 hours after Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar held a meeting at Sahyadri Guest House in Mumbai to review issues pending before the minorities development department.

“The department should work according to the policy direction laid down by the late Ajit Pawar,” Sunetra said, reiterating the government’s commitment to the social, economic, educational and cultural upliftment of the minority community. She also issued strict directions to ensure that funds earmarked for minority communities were distributed equitably and transparently.

“There is no prejudice against Muslims,” senior BJP minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule emphasised. “Reservation cannot be given on the basis of religion—this is the court’s decision. The government is taking further steps in accordance with the court’s order. This is not the government’s independent decision but action taken as per the court’s verdict,” he added, referring to past Bombay High Court and Supreme Court orders on the issue.

Defending the government decision, another senior BJP functionary said, “We are not apologetic about the decision. Muslim reservation was introduced through an ordinance by the Congress-NCP government months before the 2014 Assembly elections. It was appeasement of Muslims…vote bank politics.”

When the BJP came to power under Devendra Fadnavis (2014-2019), the ordinance was not converted into a permanent law within the constitutional time frame and was allowed to lapse on December 23, 2014.

Since then, whenever the Opposition Congress or NCP raised the issue, the BJP stuck to its stated position that religion-based reservation was unacceptable. The party also argued that certain Muslim communities were already availing reservation under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, questioning the need for a separate quota.

Meanwhile, even as the Opposition has intensified its attack on the Fadnavis government for pushing its anti-Muslim agenda, the NCP has remained silent. A state NCP leader, requesting anonymity, said, “We will pursue secular politics. Our ideology, as defined under Ajit Pawar’s leadership, believes in the Shahu-Ambedkar-Phule ideology. Sunetra Pawar will take Ajit Pawar’s political legacy forward.”

The leader pointed out that the Muslim quota GR was never implemented by successive governments, including the Maha Vikas Aghadi led by Uddhav Thackeray in 2019-2022. “So, we can’t blame the BJP alone,” he said.

How the contentious issue has played out

In 2014, the Congress-NCP government issued an ordinance granting 16 per cent reservation to Marathas and 5 per cent reservation to Muslims in government jobs and government-run educational institutions. The Muslim quota allowed around 50 identified Muslim communities to obtain caste verification and validity certificates under the Special Backward Category-A (SBC-A).

After the decision was challenged, the Bombay High Court struck down the Maratha reservation but allowed 5 per cent reservation for Muslims in education. The ordinance, however, was allowed to lapse after the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance came to power in 2014.

Later, the government introduced Maratha reservation under Socially and Educationally Backward Class (SEBC) in 2018. But, it made it clear that Muslim reservation was not on its agenda.

In 2021, Maratha reservation was scrapped by the apex court. In 2024, then chief minister Eknath Shinde brought a legislation okaying 10 per cent quota to the Maratha community in education and jobs. However, no initiative was taken for Muslim quota.