Union minister Narayan Rane on Thursday said political leaders should not pit the Marathas and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) against each other.
NCP leader and Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal recently received flak for saying that the existing OBC quota should not be touched while granting reservation to the Marathas.
"No political leader should play the Marathas off against OBCs," Mr Rane said when asked by reporters here about Bhujbal's stand.
"When I was heading a committee on (Maratha) reservation, I had given (recommended) 16 percent reservation. I did not touch the OBC quota. Marathas should get reservation as there are poor people in the community," the former chief minister said.
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange "is still young" and should study how reservation is granted to any community under the Constitution, Mr Rane said.
Marathas will not take quota from the OBCs (in the OBC category), he added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Featured Video Of The Day
Poll Rules Tweak Makes Electronic Records Harder To Get, Sparks Row
Devendra Fadnavis Says "Performance Review" Of New Ministers Soon, Adds A Warning Maharashtra Cabinet Expansion: 6 New Shiv Sena Leaders Likely To Take Oath Maharashtra Introduces Fellowship Programmes In Management At Private Colleges Is Safe Car Enough? Volvo Crash That Killed CEO, Family Sparks Big Question Snack Food Epigamia Founder Rohan Mirchandani Dies Of Cardiac Arrest At 41 "Nothing Short Of Nightmare": Woman Misses Life Event, Slams Air India Penguin Waits Patiently As Couple Clears Path In Antarctica, Video Is Viral "I Highlighted It In Parliament": Raghav Chadha On Airport Initiative Woman, Her Friend Check Into Delhi Hotel, Both Found Dead Days Later Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.