Marathas are carrying out campaigns for reservation in government jobs and educational institutions (PTI)
Even though the Maharashtra BJP passed a resolution saying it supports reservation for Marathas and it is in line with what the government has promised, the decision has brought to the fore divisions within the party.
Pankaja Munde, the state's minister for women and child development, also an OBC (Other Backwards Classes) leader, was supposed to propose the motion but she stayed away from the meeting.
Eventually, her colleague, a Maratha leader Chandrakant Patil was the one who did the honours.
The BJP's resolution came on the back of massive protests by the dominant Maratha community across the state. The state is now also witnessing multiple marches by different communities.
On Monday, when the Marathas held a well-attended protest in Satara in western Maharashtra, the OBCs took out a march of their own in Nashik in the Northern part of the state.
On the face of it, it was a support rally for the release of Nationalist Congress Party's OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal who's in jail on charges of corruption, but there were many supporters coming from other states in what was clearly a show of strength for the community.
Tolaji Jadhav Meyekar who travelled from Vidarbha in Maharashtra to take part in the rally said, "We don't have any problem with the Marathas demand for reservations, but it should not impact OBC reservations in any way."
OBCs get 27 per cent reservation in the state. The Marathas, a dominant caste with more than 30 per cent population in the state has been asking for reservation in jobs and education. The previous Congress-NCP government in the state had given 16 per cent reservation for the Marathas but it was struck down by the court.
At many protest marches the Marathas have also asked for a re-look at the Atrocities Act, that gives protection to Dalits and tribals against caste-based complaints. Many have alleged the provisions are misused to target the Maratha community by foist in false cases. The Dalits too organised a protest rally in Buldhana in Vidarbha on the same day, demanding that the Atrocities act should stay. Former Minister for Empowerment and Social Justice Chandrakant Handore said, "We are not against reservations but we want the Atrocities act to stay."
The Maharashtra government has said it's in favour of reservations for Marathas but has not clarified what contours that could take. Other political parties too are just as aware that with a number of local body elections coming up in the next 6 months and with such well turned out marches of different communities, it's going to be a tight-rope walk on reservations.