The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) intensified its attack on Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, accusing him of neglecting the Maratha community's welfare during his extensive tenure in power, as the Maratha quota agitation led by activist Manoj Jarange escalates in Mumbai. Jarange, on an indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan since Friday, has ramped up criticism of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, demanding a 10% reservation for Marathas under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category by classifying them as Kunbis, a move fiercely opposed by OBC groups.
On Sunday, Pawar’s daughter and NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule faced the wrath of Maratha protesters during her visit to Azad Maidan. Demonstrators blocked her car and raised slogans against her father, a four-time former Maharashtra Chief Minister and former Union Minister, reflecting growing frustration over his perceived inaction on the Maratha quota issue. BJP MLC Praveen Darekar seized the opportunity to criticize Pawar, stating, “Many Maratha youths are unhappy with Sharad Pawar’s stand. He was in power for years but took no concrete steps for Maratha reservations in education or jobs.”
BJP leader and Maharashtra Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who heads a cabinet sub-committee on Maratha reservation issues, questioned why Pawar did not address the issue during his tenure or before the Mandal Commission’s implementation in 1992. “Pawar now suggests a Constitutional amendment to lift the Supreme Court’s 52% reservation cap, but why didn’t he act when he had the chance? He must clarify if Marathas can be included under the OBC category,” Vikhe Patil said, accusing Pawar of offering empty rhetoric.
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Pawar, speaking in Ahmednagar on Saturday, advocated for a Constitutional amendment to resolve the Maratha quota deadlock, noting that Tamil Nadu has a 72% reservation quota despite the Supreme Court’s 52% cap. He emphasized ongoing discussions with other MPs to push for this change, arguing that agriculture’s decline makes reservations critical for Marathas, 80% of whom rely on farming. However, a senior BJP minister anonymously countered that such an amendment could spark nationwide demands for higher quotas, potentially causing unrest.
Darekar further alleged that Pawar’s inaction during his tenure, including during the Mandal Commission, left the Maratha community without reservation benefits. “Sule’s visit to Azad Maidan, despite lacking Constitutional authority to resolve the issue, may have fueled the protesters’ frustration,” he added. The protests, led by Jarange, have disrupted Mumbai, with traffic restrictions near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Azad Maidan, where thousands of supporters have gathered. Jarange remains steadfast, refusing to end his fast until Marathas are granted OBC status, even rejecting government suggestions to avail the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) quota.
The agitation has deepened political divides, with the BJP accusing opposition parties, including Pawar’s NCP (SP), of exploiting the issue to target Fadnavis and the Mahayuti government. As tensions rise, the Maratha-OBC conflict threatens Maharashtra’s social fabric, with both sides urging a resolution that balances justice without undermining existing quotas.
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