Maharashtra is currently grappling with a fresh wave of protests related to the Maratha reservation demand, some of which have escalated into violence, leading to incidents of vandalism and arson. Beed, in particular, bore the brunt of the recent unrest, with two legislators’ residences and a Nationalist Congress Party office set ablaze by agitated demonstrators. However, it’s essential to acknowledge that the clamor for Maratha reservations in Maharashtra is not a recent phenomenon. In this article, we delve into the underlying factors behind this recent escalation.

what is Marathas Quota demand ?

The Marathas, who constitute approximately 33% of the state’s population, have been persistently advocating for reservations in education and government job opportunities. The first protest seeking reservation occurred in Mumbai in 1982, led by Annasaheb Patil, the leader of the Mathadi Labour Union.

In 2021, the Supreme Court invalidated Maharashtra’s Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act, 2018, which had provided reservations for the Maratha community, citing its breach of the 50% quota limit.

The Maratha community has been striving to obtain Kunbi caste certificates, which would facilitate their inclusion in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category for reservations. In Maharashtra, Kunbis, primarily associated with agriculture, are categorized under OBC. The state convened a committee, led by a retired judge, to examine this demand. After scrutinizing the documents of around 100,000 individuals, the committee reported that approximately 11,530 Marathas possessed Kunbi-related documents.

Faced with the escalating protests, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde convened an all-party meeting to address the situation in the state. The recent protests were ignited by pro-quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil, who commenced an indefinite hunger strike on October 25. Although he took a few sips of water following local intervention on Monday, his hunger strike persists.

On Tuesday, Chief Minister Shinde contacted Mr. Patil, assuring him of a definitive decision from the state cabinet concerning the issuance of Kunbi certificates to the Maratha community.

The violence predominantly targeted NCP legislators and offices due to purported comments by a politician regarding the quota demand. NCP MLA Prakash Solanke, whose residence was vandalized and set on fire in Beed, was allegedly recorded making disparaging remarks about the quota demand in a widely circulated audio clip. He was heard saying, “The person who has not even contested a gram panchayat election (interpreted as a reference to Manoj Patil) has become a clever individual today,” in the clip.