Mumbai: The political landscape in Maharashtra is heating up as OBCs, SC and ST groups have expressed concerns over a GR on Hyderabad gazette for Maratha quota, prompting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to caution against the "politics of extreme".
As the row over the Government Resolution (GR), issued earlier this month, threatened to turn into a conflict between Maratha and OBC communities, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday accused the Mahayuti government of weakening the social fabric and trying to widen the divide in society.
Acknowledging a growing chasm over the sensitive issue of the Maratha reservation, CM Fadnavis on Sunday appealed to leaders from both communities to present facts about the issue before the people.
"Politics of extremes is taking place on the issue and an atmosphere is being created that OBC reservation is finished. This is affecting the psyche of OBC students," he said.
Weeks after the state government issued the GR to quell protests led by activist Manoj Jarange seeking quota for Marathas under the Other Backward Classes category, several OBC, Adivasi and Banjara outfits have warned of protests demanding that the government withdraw the order.
Various caste groups have contended that the implementation of the Hyderabad Gazette to allow members of the Maratha community to get OBC Kunbi caste certificates would greatly impact the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.
"We were classified as a Scheduled Tribe and had reservation in Hyderabad state. We want the same rights restored," said Sandesh Chavan, president of Banjara outfit Gor Sena. Chavan also claimed a 32-year-old Banjara graduate from Dharashiv died by suicide on Saturday, leaving behind a note pressing for ST reservation.
Since September 11, Banjara community members have been on an indefinite hunger strike outside the Jalna collector's office, while senior leader Haribhau Rathod has announced morchas in Jalna and Beed on Monday.
However, Adivasi outfits have opposed this demand of the Banjara community, claiming the latter already enjoys benefits from a 3 per cent quota under the Vimukta Jati and Nomadic Tribes (VJNT) segment. OBC activists Navnath Waghmare and Satusung Mundhe have warned that expanding the quota would threaten the rights of 374 castes already listed under the Other Backward Classes category.
The OBC leaders have resolved to hold a massive morcha in Nagpur on October 10. Historically, the Marathwada region was under the Nizam of Hyderabad, whose administration documented castes and occupations in the gazette.