Maharashtra government takes history lessons on Maratha reservation

The Devendra Fadnavis government is leaving no stone unturned on the Maratha reservation policy, ahead of a Supreme Court (SC) hearing next month. The 16% Maratha quota was stayed by the Bombay High Court last year.

The government has asked the archives directorate to find out some "evidences" in history books, which can prove the state's stand in the SC that Marathas need reservation.

Archives officials have been specifically directed to look into the literature of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and also the gazettes of early 20th century when Shahuji Maharaj was the ruler of Kolhapur.

The move is aimed at getting some "historical proof" for the economic backwardness of the community to justify the government's stand for the Maratha quota in public service and educational institutions so that SC can be convinced.

The direction has been given by education minister Vinod Tawde, who also heads the culture department, under which the archives bureau falls. Tawde also chairs the government committee on Maratha reservation. The committee has to carry out a detailed study covering various aspects, which were clearly missing from the Narayan Rane committee report that didn't stand in the High Court.

The Congress-NCP government had brought the policy, which entails 16% reservation to Marathas as an "economically and backward community", a category introduced for the first time, which was over and above the 51% quota for SC/ST and OBC.

History has always equated Marathas with the warrior caste Kshatriya. "However, literature suggests Marathas are Kunbis. Ambedkar had also reportedly written about that. Since Kunbis are covered under quota, Marathas should also be given the same benefit, feels the government," a highly placed official told dna.

On the other hand, gazettes of Shahuji Maharaj's time is being dug up to get "evidence" that the Marathas were among those needy students from the backward castes, who were given scholarship by the Kolhapur princely state.

"Shahuji offered scholarships to backward caste students and Marathas were among them. Maharaj was also a Maratha adopted by the widow of Raja Shivaji 4th. He himself faced humiliation by Brahmins those days," historians are said to have told the committee.

The committee is getting feedback from historians, academicians and other experts besides Maratha leaders. Marathas account for 30% of the state's population and is the single-largest vote bank in Maharashtra.

A senior officer in ministry of law and judiciary said: "Such evidences will not withstand in the court. The government will have to substantiate the demand with data, which is scientifically conducted through surveys." And the surveys are yet to be done.

A professor of Mumbai University said: "Logically, Marathas should be given the benefit of quota under OBCs but the government can't do that for political reasons."
Tawde did not respond to calls and message.

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Of Maharashtra's 17 chief ministers since it became a state in 1960, 10 have been Marathas. In this entire period, more than half of all MLAs have also been from the community.

Almost 50% educational institutions are controlled by Maratha leaders. Of the 200-odd sugar factories, the mainstay of the state's economy, 168 are controlled by Marathas. Of the district cooperative banks, 70% are controlled by Marathas.

The Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission had argued in 2008: "Marathas are both economically and politically a forward caste… They had never faced social stigma to invite a backward class status."