Maratha reservation passes the Bombay High Court Test

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June 27, 2019

Bombay High Court upholds it’s decision on 16% Maratha community reservation. It recommended the reservation to be 12-13%.

A division bench of Justice Ranjit More and Bharati Dangre held the Socially Economically Backward Class Act but struck down the 16% reservation and said the reservation should be 12-13% as suggested by the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission.

On November 29, 2018, the Maharashtra Assembly had passed the Maratha Reservation Bill on 16% quota in government jobs and education for the Marathas, declared a “socially and educationally backward class”. This raises the reservation in the State from to 68% from 52% and crosses the 50% ceiling set by the Supreme Court.

“This is a compelling, extraordinary situation demanding extraordinary solutions within the constitutional framework,” the draft Bill says, while suggesting “expedient” reservation for the Marathas.

In February, the bench had started hearing a bunch of petitions by the State government as well as those for and against the reservation. While deciding on the quota, the government had considered recommendations made by the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission. The court reserved the judgment in April.

Maharashtra Bandh: Much ado about nothing

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Sugat Srivastava

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August 9, 2018

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Maratha community is more or less similar to Patel community in Gujarat. Dominant, large in number, powerful, and every other adjective than backward. They constitute around 30% of Maharashtra’s 12 crore population. They were historically dominant with most of the community had acres of land in their possession. Even after Independence, some of these were sold to the government and got very high revenue. On some fraction of their land, they built factories and mills thus becoming successful industrialists.

Maharashtra already gives a total of 52% reservation. Adding them to the list would lead to the following:

Either they occupy OBC quota and fight against other communities or they would be given a separate 16% reservation with the addition to 52% original reservation. Total reserved seats would increase to 68%. This would deteriorate the quality of state-run institutes and companies.
Other communities will begin their quest for the lucrative reservation. The whole country would observe bandhs from different communities like Gurjars, Jats, Patidar, Patels, etc. This would bleed the country dry.
The cutoff for the unreserved category would increase substantially, leading to phenomenon like Brain Drain and unemployment, which further agitate the society.
Caste-based politics would increase much further. Already we are observing an ugly phase of religion- and caste-based politics in UP, Rajasthan, Bihar, etc.
Many political parties would try to become well-wisher of a certain community, would instigate sentiments and manipulate them to garner huge vote shares.

It is already said that, in good governance, people fight to become the best but in poor governance, people want to remain backward. The current scenario summarizes to the fact that people now trying to prove that they are backward and can never stand on their own without the crutches of the reservation.

Maharashtra Bandh for Quota Protests

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Sugat Srivastava

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July 25, 2018

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Maratha Kranti Morcha called a Bandh in Mumbai for pressing demands of 16% reservation for Maratha community. 6 months ago, the same organization was pressurizing government for conducting Maratha community surveys in around 700 villages. (Read This: Maharashtra Government Begins the Survey of Marathas )

The band has been called in areas like Palghar, Thane Raigad and Navi Mumbai. Schools, colleges, ambulances and hospitals are exempted from the bandh.

Tension across Maharashtra continue to flare as the agitation for reservation for Marathas in government jobs and educational institutions has intensified.

The ongoing protest is likely to have a major impact in Western Maharashtra and Marathwada districts such as Aurangabad, Osmanabad, Beed and Ahmadnagar.

2 suicide attempts took place today. One attempted suicide by jumping in the river whereas the other consumed poison. Both are alive and in hospital.

A truck was set ablaze in Aurangabad during the protest. Locals in Aurangabad attacked the vehicle of Shiv Sena MP Chandrakant Khaire when he went to attend the funeral of the youth who drowned in Godavari river in the district yesterday.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Minister Vinod Tawde said that local authorities and police will be assessing law and order situation on Wednesday. He said that after the assessment it will be decided if schools and colleges will remain operational in the above mentioned areas on Wednesday.

The Conclusion

There is a contest in India among different communities to prove who is the most backward out of all. Reservation system was introduced as temporary crutches so that the backward classes and castes can rise and become equal. Now everyone wants to walk on these crutches despite being socially uplifted or not.

The protesters are mentally backward people who doesn’t bat an eyelid for the society. They don’t think that these protests will cause a havoc in the region as well as lose valuable time for the money-generating activities. The protesters should think about the society as well and keep it as peaceful as possible. Government cannot do anything in order to provide mind to morons.

Maharashtra Government Begins the Survey of Marathas

By

Sugat Srivastava

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January 12, 2018

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The Maharashtra government has decided to conduct a sample survey of the Maratha community members in over 700 villages. Call it the fear of the deadline by the Maratha Kranti Morcha or its regular data collection routine, the survey is expected to be completed before February 10.

According to Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission Chairman, Justice (retired) M.G. Gaikwad, the sample survey has been undertaken for data collection to determine the economic backwardness within the community. This will justify its demand for quota in public service and educational institutions.

Maratha Kranti Morcha last month gave an ultimatum to the government saying it should address their demand of providing reservations for the community by February 10. The birth anniversary of Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, February 19, will mark the agitation for the demand.

Mr. Gaikwad said the survey will focus on three main bases — the financial, educational and employment status of the Maratha community members.

“The result of the survey would be assessed by the commission once it is completed,” Mr. Gaikwad said.

Among other demands, Maratha Kranti Morcha also wants an amendment of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act by claiming that it is being misused. They have been protesting and organising silent rallies across the state with each district witnessing a large number of people participating. The group held its first protest last year when a minor girl from the community was brutally raped and murdered in Kopardi in Ahmednagar. The protest which had started at the local level soon turned into statewide protests.

This is not the first time this organization is demanding reservation. In 2003-04, National Commission for Backward Classes rejected the demand for including the Maratha community in the category of Other Backward Class (OBC) category. The Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission had held in 2008 that “Marathas are both economically and politically a forward caste. They never faced social stigma to invite the backward class status.” In 2014, the Bombay High Court had disallowed 16% reservation for them in government services and educational institutions.

Various Maratha organisations held massive ‘silent marches’ last year at 58 places across the State, demanding reservations in jobs and education, among other things. Among them, Maratha Kranti Morcha is the main.

Let’s see if the long quest of Maratha reservation ends or not. Will the uproar and unrest continue to develop in the similar rate or not. Only time will tell whether the rat race of communities proving themselves ‘backward’ will end or not.

Tag: Maratha

Maratha reservation passes the Bombay High Court Test

Maharashtra Bandh: Much ado about nothing

Maharashtra Bandh for Quota Protests

The Conclusion

Maharashtra Government Begins the Survey of Marathas