Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule declared that reallocating reservation quotas from one community to another, specifically from Other Backward Classes (OBCs) to the Maratha community, is unjustified.

Speaking to reporters in Pune, Bawankule emphasized the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) support for Maratha reservations but maintained that only governments led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his predecessor Eknath Shinde have delivered justice to the Maratha community since Maharashtra’s formation. He cited the implementation of the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) quota under Fadnavis as a key measure that benefited Marathas and other open-category groups, reducing quota-related protests in other states.

Bawankule’s remarks come in response to activist Manoj Jarange’s hunger strike at Azad Maidan, Mumbai, demanding a 10 per cent quota for Marathas under the OBC category. The minister firmly opposed this demand, arguing that stripping reservations from the 353 sub-castes within the OBC category to accommodate Marathas would be unacceptable and unfair.

He highlighted the state’s efforts to empower the Maratha community through initiatives like the SARTHI scheme, while stressing the government’s commitment to ensuring no injustice is done to other communities, including OBC sub-castes.

Amid rising tensions, Bawankule called for restraint to maintain law and order, urging all parties to avoid extreme measures that could create chaos. He advocated for a cooperative approach to find a balanced solution, reaffirming that the Maratha community’s existing EWS reservation should remain intact.

The minister’s statements underscore the complex challenge of addressing Maratha quota demands while preserving the rights of other communities, as the state navigates ongoing protests and negotiations with Jarange’s movement.

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