Chandrashekhar Bawankule says solution to quota issue in Maharashtra will be reached through consensus

Chandrashekhar Bawankule. File Pic

Maharashtra BJP head Chandrashekhar Bawankule indicated that the Mahayuti government is dedicated to reaching an agreement on the Maratha and OBC reservation demands.

After meeting with a government delegation on Saturday, activists Laxman Hake and Navnath Waghmare concluded their hunger fast, which began on June 13 in Jalna district. Their demonstration came in reaction to Maratha activist Manoj Jarange's demand that Marathas be included in the OBC reservation category, reported PTI.

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According to the report, Bawankule informed reporters on Saturday that the Mahayuti government is committed to granting Maratha community reservations without impacting the existing OBC quota.

"A solution will be found through consensus," the BJP leader said.

He further stated that the administration is working to avert any conflicts between OBCs and Marathas, the report added.

According to another PTI report, the two activists who have been fasting for the OBC quota for eight days claim that the confusion caused by activist Manoj Jarange is causing Maratha youths to commit suicide. They also accused Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde of disregarding their protest, according to PTI. Laxman Hake and Navnath Waghmare have been agitating in Wadigodri village, Jalna district, Maharashtra, demanding that OBC reservations not be diluted.

They oppose Jarange's intention to execute a draft notification identifying Kunbis as'sage soyare' (blood relatives) of Maratha community members. Kunbi, an agrarian group, is categorised as OBC, and Manoj Jarange has been seeking that all Marathas be given Kunbi credentials, making them eligible for quotas in government jobs and education, according to the PTI.

Hake remarked that the Maratha community may be economically challenged, but it is not socially backward.

"The reservation criteria pertain to those who are socially backward, said Hake, suggesting that Marathas should pursue schemes for their economic development with the government. Jarange is creating confusion and because of that Maratha youths are committing suicide over the reservation. Manoj Jarange is comparing Marathas to OBC communities," Hake said according to the news agency.

Hake said that Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde ignored their protest.

"The chief minister has shut his eyes and ears to our protest," he told us.

He stated that Guardian Minister Atul Save, Rajya Sabha member Bhagwat Karad, and newly elected Aurangabad MP Sandipan Bhumre met with them on Monday in their personal capacities rather than as government representatives.

Even Jalna Collector Dr Shrikrishna Panchal, who paid them a visit on Wednesday night, remained silent on the government's response to their protests.

The collector rejected the claim, telling reporters that Minister Save had gone to see the fasting OBC activists on behalf of the chief minister. He stated that the two's health was deteriorating, and they had attempted to urge them to seek medical attention.

A team of doctors and a cardiac van (ambulance) have been dispatched to the demonstration scene, he said. The collectors also urged OBC members who have been blocking roads in the district to conduct their protests quietly and democratically.

Meanwhile, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi chairman Prakash Ambedkar visited Hake and Waghmare in Wadigodri to express his support. Ambedkar said the government has failed to address the concerns of both Marathas and OBC members. This could lead to a confrontation between the OBC and the Maratha communities, he said.

"No Maratha leader has commented on the OBC protest. They're just watching. There should be measures to prevent any potential clash. "Maratha leaders should step forward to calm both communities," Ambedkar stated.

Manoj Jarange claimed on Wednesday that the state administration may be aiding some agitations to avoid addressing the demand for a Maratha quota under the OBC category.