Pune: With the State Legislature passing the Bill approving 16% reservation to the Maratha community in government jobs and educational institutions, the Akhil Bharatiya Brahman Mahasangh (ABBM) has demanded that the government conduct a survey to determine the economic status of the community.
Claiming that majority of the community’s members are economically backward, the ABBM said it will meet Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. “The outfit will also meet Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray to apprise him of its demands,” Anand Dave of the ABBM told The Hindu on Monday.
“At present, we are not seeking reservation…all we are asking of the State government is that it carry out a survey to determine the true picture of the Brahmin community in Maharashtra,” Mr. Dave said. Of the Brahmin population constituting around 10% of Maharashtra’s population, the ABBM said nearly 70% of the members — a majority of them residing in rural areas — is living in the social margins.
Mr. Dave said in 1999, reservation to the Maratha community was denied after a survey undertaken by the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission claimed that the community was progressive and did not need quota. “Yet, in a U-turn, the commission recently argued in favour of reservation to the Maratha community. Are we to infer from this that in 20-odd years, successive State governments have pulled down the standards of living of the Maratha community?” Mr. Dave said.
“While most of our community members are well-educated, jobs are scarce owing to reservation benefits given to other sections. The priests have work for only four-five months in a year,” he said.
Mr. Dave claimed the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have backed the ABBM’s demand for a survey. “Even NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal, an important face of the OBC community, has supported our demand,” he said.
