Maratha Quota Row: Patil and Rane Urge EWS Quota Over OBC Inclusion
Maharashtra ministers Chandrakant Patil and Nitesh Rane advocate for the Maratha community's inclusion in the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) quota in opposition to activist Manoj Jarange's demand for OBC classification. Meanwhile, the political arena heats up with accusations of 'divide-and-rule' tactics by opposition parties in the Maratha quota debate.
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In Maharashtra, a debate over how to best provide the Maratha community with reservation benefits has intensified. Ministers Chandrakant Patil and Nitesh Rane suggest that Marathas should benefit from the existing Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) quota, countering activist Manoj Jarange's proposal to classify them as Other Backward Classes (OBC).
Jarange's protest has gained attention as he continues an indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan, demanding a 10 percent reservation for Marathas under the OBC category. However, Rane argues this reclassification won't be uniformly accepted across Maharashtra, highlighting distinct identities in regions like Konkan.
The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi is accused of fomenting 'divide-and-rule' politics over the issue. NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar is reportedly funding Jarange's protest, adding a layer of political complexity to the ongoing discussions around reservation policies for the Maratha community.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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