Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar voiced apprehensions on Monday, expressing concerns that the provisions in Maharashtra’s draft notification on Maratha quota could adversely affect other communities within the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. Wadettiwar, the leader of the opposition in the state assembly and a prominent figure within the OBC community, emphasized the need for clarity on the draft’s provisions.
The Congress leader highlighted that the draft notification, designed to facilitate Maratha community members in obtaining caste validity certificates as Kunbi, could potentially exacerbate the struggles faced by other OBC communities. He pointed out that there are approximately 375 castes under the OBC category, and individuals from many of them encounter difficulties in procuring caste validity certificates, with some enduring a prolonged struggle of over a year.
Wadettiwar criticized the state government for allegedly breaking its promise that the OBC quota would not be disturbed. He expressed concern that around 1.5 crore Marathas would become eligible for quota under the OBC category, potentially impacting the smaller communities. According to Wadettiwar, the reservation system, intended to achieve social and economic equality, might be undermined by the state government’s move.
The Congress leader argued that the government’s decision could create a deeper divide between Marathas and other OBC members. He accused the government of making populist announcements to garner votes in upcoming elections, cautioning that such decisions could have lasting implications.
Wadettiwar suggested that if the government is earnest about providing reservation to the Maratha community, it should engage with the Centre to increase the reservation limit beyond 50% to accommodate the community members.