OBCs on ‘wait and watch’ mode as Jarange Patil’s Maratha quota deadline ends tomorrow

But he added that the OBCs were closely monitoring the developments in the state. “And we cannot be caught unawares. We have to be ready to act if anything goes wrong,” he said.

Maratha activist Manoj Jarange-Patil has given the October 24 deadline to implement reservation for the community. “The state government should make a decision soon. There is no question of giving more time,” he said Monday.

Patil, who held a rally at Jalna two weeks ago, demanded all Marathas should be given kunbi certificates to enable them to avail of reservation under the OBC category. Earlier, he went on an indefinite fast at his Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited him and persuaded him to break the fast after 17 days. He promised the government would consider all their demands.

However, the OBC Mahasangh has said that Marathas’ inclusion in the OBC category would amount to injustice. “We are not against Maratha reservation. But they should get a separate quota. Our quota of 19 per cent out of the 52 per cent should remain intact,” Tawde said.

All India Banjara Kranti Morcha president Haribhau Rathod believes the reservation issue can be resolved through dialogue between both communities. Rathod, a former Lok Sabha MP, said, “Both OBCs and Marathas should shed their adamant stand. They should approach the issue with an open mind. A sub-category can be formed under the OBC category and the Marathas can be accorded reservation. Kunbis in Vidarbha, Konkan and north Maharashtra are already availing of OBC reservation.”

Rathod said that all kunbis and newer entrants should be clubbed into one OBC sub-category. “They should be given a fixed 5 per cent quota within the OBCs. Which means that out of 19 per cent, kunbis and Marathas will get 5 per cent and remaining 14 will be exclusively for other OBCs,” he said.

However, those opposing the Marathas’ inclusion in the OBC category say the latter are not socially backward, unlike the OBCs, nomadic tribes, Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes.

OBC Janmanch Morcha president Prakash Shendge said, “There are clear parameters defined by the Constitution on who is entitled to reservation. Among the criteria, social backwardness is a significant one.”

Shengde said all that the OBCs want is that their quota should not be divided.