Don’t create OBC vs Maratha divide in society, says Chandrashekhar Bawankule

Following the first meeting of the cabinet sub-committee for Other Backwards Classes (OBC) on Wednesday, the committee head and Revenue Minister, Chandrashekhar Bawankule, warned against creating an OBC versus Maratha environment in society. The committee discussed the objections raised by the ministers related to the Maratha Government Resolution (GR).

“We discussed the concerns raised on the GR and its impact on the OBC reservations. Our unified stand is that certificates must be given following the GR. Any committee at the Gram Sabha level or tehsildars should not issue OBC certificates based on wrong entries, and for that, some kind of monitoring should be there,” said head of the sub-committee, Mr. Bawankule, adding that the certificates should be given only when there is a mention of Kunbi-Maratha or Maratha-Kunbi. 

During the meeting, OBC leader and NCP Minister Chhagan Bhujbal objected to the word “Maratha” used in the GR, which is “vague” and may impact OBC reservation adversely. The government resolution (GR) that permits the Maratha community to apply for the Kunbi caste based on the Hyderabad gazetteer received backlash from the OBC communities.

The sub-committee comprising eight members from the Mahayuti alliance is formed to aim for the development of OBC from a social, educational and economic perspective and make plans for their welfare, focusing on education, employment, and economic empowerment. The members of the committee include Chhagan Bhujbal (NCP), Ganesh Naik (BJP), Gulabrao Patil (Shiv Sena), Sanjay Rathore (Shiv Sena), Pankaja Munde (BJP), Atul Saave (BJP) and Dattatreya Bharane (NCP). 

Mr. Bawankule also announced that the committee has approved the preparation of a budget of about ₹3,800 crore for over 353 OBC communities and will create a mechanism to reach out to the OBC communities with schemes.

“We will also initiate an employment generation scheme for the OBC youth on the lines of Annasaheb Patil Mahamandal yojana, as well as review the action taken report of the decisions taken during the tenure of Mr. Bhujbal as the president of the committee. Some 12 to 13 decisions were made,” Mr. Bawankule added. 

Maharashtra minister Pankaja Munde, who also attended the meeting, said, “The State government will never ignore the concerns of the Other Backwards Classes (OBCs) on the Maratha GR.”