Petition seeking reservation for Maratha community under OBC category pending

Aurangabad, June 5:

Kishor Chavan, who has filed a petition in Aurangabad bench of Bombay High Court to seek reservation to Maratha community of Marathwada in the OBC category, will tour eight districts of the region from June 7.

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, Kishor Chavan said that the State Government is denying reservation to Maratha community from Marathwada in the OBC category.

“A petition was filed in the HC court four years ago requesting it to direct the Government to include Marathas in OBC and increase reservation limit. The Government was asked to present its side,” he said.

Chavan said that Marathwada region from Hyderabad State was included in Maharashtra. “The then Andra Pradesh Government gave Marathas reservation in OBC category. Sub-clauses in Article 371 of the Constitution, Constitutional security is given to the public of a State which is merged in another one. So, Maratha community members in Belgaum, Karwar, Nipani in Karnataka are in OBC category. Marathas of the region which was merged in Maharashtra should have been given reservation without any condition. Instead, they were deprived of their rights. The matter is pending in the court with evidence. The Central Government should increase the reservation limit of more than 50 pc to avoid loss of OBC,” he said.

The petitioner said that youths from Maratha community were upset after the Supreme Court cancelled their reservation. “With a view to clear their misconception that all doors were closed, I will tour the region from June 7 and inform them about the petition,” he added.

Parmeshwar Nalawade, Yogesh Keware, Dr Uddhav Kale, Ashok Wagh and Ganesh Patil Veer were present at the briefing.