Sumeet Mhaskar explains that reservation cannot be granted through a Government Resolution, like the Maharashtra government has done. “Reservations can only be given by the Backward Caste Commission,’ he says.
The reason why the Marathas have begun agitating for reservations in recent years is because there is a “rural as well as urban crisis” in the state’s political economy, says Sumeet Mhaskar, professor of sociology in O.P. Jindal University. Marathas are getting no access to economically secure jobs because more and more government jobs are becoming contractual.
Mhaskar explains that reservation cannot be granted through a Government Resolution (GR), like the Maharashtra government has done. “Reservations can only be given by the Backward Caste Commission.” Nonetheless, he says, now the “OBC groups will agitate. They may go to court.” One danger for the OBCs is that the Marathas will stand for election in seats which are reserved for OBCs, he explains.
He also feels there is a political dimension to the entire agitation, especially since Fadnavis belongs to the Brahmin community and power in Maharashtra has traditionally been held by Marathas. He points out that elections to municipal bodies are to be held soon and if Devendra Fadnavis hadn’t granted what the agitators wanted, it would have had an impact on the elections.
This article went live on September fifth, two thousand twenty five, at thirty minutes past twelve at noon.
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