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The Devendra Fadnavis-led government has proposed a 16 per cent reservation for the Maratha community in education and jobs. The government had earlier said that the Bill pertaining to Maratha quota would be introduced in the state Legislature on November 29. And it stood by its word.
The Maratha community, which constitutes over 30 per cent of the state’s population, has been demanding reservation in government jobs and education for a long time. The community’s agitation for the same in July and August this year had taken a violent turn.
It may be recalled that the previous Congress-Nationalist Congress Party coalition government had granted 16 per cent reservation to Marathas in jobs and education, but it was stayed by the Bombay high court.
The Opposition Congress and the NCP have been demanding tabling of reports of the SBCC recommending quota for Marathas and the Tata Institute of Social Sciences’ report on reservation to the Dhangar (shepherd) community.
The Dhangar community has been pressing for reservation under the Scheduled Tribe category.
The Cabinet sub-committee was formed last week to study the SBCC’s report on reservation for Marathas in government jobs and education and take a decision on it.
The government had received the report on November 15 and it was placed before the Cabinet on November 18 for approval.
