Sharad Pawar Urges Centre to Act on Maratha-OBC Reservation Conflict

GG News Bureau
Pune, 20th June. NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar said on Thursday that the Centre must lead efforts to resolve the Maratha community’s reservation demands and the concerns of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in Maharashtra. Speaking in Baramati, Maharashtra, Pawar stressed the need for legal amendments and policy adjustments at both state and central levels to address the issue effectively.

In February, the Maharashtra legislature passed a bill granting 10% reservation in education and jobs specifically to the Maratha community. However, there is ongoing demand within the Maratha community to be included under the OBC category.

Activist Manoj Jarange has advocated for recognizing Kunbis as “sage soyare” (blood relatives) of Marathas, arguing that this would make them eligible for OBC reservations. Meanwhile, two OBC activists in Jalna district are on a hunger strike to safeguard existing OBC quotas.

Pawar emphasized, “The governments, especially the Centre, should take proactive steps to address both communities’ demands, prevent social tensions, and avoid being mere spectators.”