The Maharashtra Assembly approved a bill that gives 10% reservation to Marathas

The Maharashtra Assembly recently approved a bill to provide 10% reservation in jobs and education for the Maratha community. This bill, proposed by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, aims to support the Maratha community without affecting existing reservations.

Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party requested a 5% reservation for Muslims in government jobs and educational institutions in Maharashtra. SP MLA Abu Azmi even protested outside the assembly, advocating for Muslim reservations.

According to SP MLA Rais Shaikh, Muslims also deserve reservation benefits. He highlighted a previous notice that allocated 5% of seats to Muslims when the Maratha reservation was granted. However, he expressed disappointment that the current bill neglects Muslim reservations and urged the government to review and ensure fairness.

The bill, championed by the Eknath Shinde government, will increase the reservation limit beyond 50%. This decision was prompted by Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil’s hunger strike and will be discussed in a special assembly session.

Patil criticized the bill as a betrayal, claiming it was driven by political motives rather than genuine concern for the Maratha community. He emphasized the need for a comprehensive solution, suggesting a “sage-soyare” law instead. He accused the government of deceiving the Maratha people with false promises of reservation.