Amid Maratha protests that are erupting in western India’s state of Maharashtra, the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission panel, that was appointed to look into the socio-economic backwardness of the Maratha community is crumbling.

Five out of its 10-member panel have quit citing the Maharashtra state government’s interference. It can be called a big setback for the Maratha community which has been fighting for their rights for many years now.

Three members including, the chairman of the commission, Anand Nirgude, a former judge at the Bombay High Court, have resigned. Two days before, two members citing government interference had resigned.

According to confirmed sources, one of the members who resigned in his resignation letter had mentioned that the government was trying to force them into declaring the Maratha community as backward. One of the resigned members alleged that the panel was supposed to work independently but the interference was too much.

Nirgude resigned on December 4, before the start of the winter assembly session. The Maharashtra government conveyed his resignation and the state government’s acceptance of it to the member secretary of the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission on December 9.

Maharashtra Leader of Opposition (in the Legislative Assembly) and Congressman Vijay Wadettiwar, also a prominent OBC leader accused the state government and said, “The present State Backward Class Commission had been constituted during the time of the MVA government. The Shinde government is bringing pressure on some OBC members in this commission. Why is it trying to throttle the voices of the OBCs in this manner? Why did the government hide the date of Mr Nirgude’s resignation? What was the motive behind this?”

Marathas, who form an estimated 33 per cent of the state’s population, have periodically protested for reservations in government jobs and educational institutions of the state.

The commission looks into matters of including or excluding a particular caste from categories such as Vimukta Jati and Nomadic Tribes (VJNT), Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Special Backward Classes (SBC). The commission, a quasi-judicial body, conducts extensive studies and submits its report to the Maharashtra government.

The panel was supposed to do a comprehensive survey to determine the Maratha community’s social, educational and economic backwardness.

In 2021, the Supreme Court rejected a report on the social and economic backwardness of the Marathas submitted by the commission’s former chairman, Justice M.G. Gaikwad (Retd), and struck down the quota given to Marathas under the ‘socially and educationally backward class’ as “unconstitutional”.

Earlier this year — faced with the latest round of protests just ahead of the 2024 elections — the Maharashtra government filed a curative petition to get the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision.

In October this year, the Maharashtra government announced it would grant Kunbi certificates — Kunbis are a sub-Maratha caste group that’s counted among the state’s OBC — to Marathas to

ensure the community is counted among the state’s other backward classes. The move sparked yet another row, with the state’s other OBC groups raising concerns.

Meanwhile, Maratha activist Manoj Jarange Patil, who’s been at the centre of the fresh Maratha protests, has given the Eknath Shinde government a December 24 deadline to grant reservation.

Amid Maratha protests that are erupting in western India’s state of Maharashtra, the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission panel, that was appointed to look into the socio-economic backwardness of the Maratha community is crumbling.

Amid Maratha protests that are erupting in western India’s state of Maharashtra, the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission panel, that was appointed to look into the socio-economic backwardness of the Maratha community is crumbling. Five out of its 10-member panel have quit citing the Maharashtra state government’s interference. It can be called a big setback for the Maratha community which has been fighting for their rights for many years now. Three members including, the chairman of the commission, Anand Nirgude, a former judge at the Bombay High Court, have resigned. Two days before, two members citing government interference had resigned. According to confirmed sources, one of the members who resigned in his resignation letter had mentioned that the government was trying to force them into declaring the Maratha community as backward. One of the resigned members alleged that the panel was supposed to work independently but the interference was too much. Nirgude resigned on December 4, before the start of the winter assembly session. The Maharashtra government conveyed his resignation and the state government’s acceptance of it to the member secretary of the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission on December 9. Maharashtra Leader of Opposition (in the Legislative Assembly) and Congressman Vijay Wadettiwar, also a prominent OBC leader accused the state government and said, “The present State Backward Class Commission had been constituted during the time of the MVA government. The Shinde government is bringing pressure on some OBC members in this commission. Why is it trying to throttle the voices of the OBCs in this manner? Why did the government hide the date of Mr Nirgude’s resignation? What was the motive behind this?” Marathas, who form an estimated 33 per cent of the state’s population, have periodically protested for reservations in government jobs and educational institutions of the state. The commission looks into matters of including or excluding a particular caste from categories such as Vimukta Jati and Nomadic Tribes (VJNT), Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Special Backward Classes (SBC). The commission, a quasi-judicial body, conducts extensive studies and submits its report to the Maharashtra government. The panel was supposed to do a comprehensive survey to determine the Maratha community’s social, educational and economic backwardness. In 2021, the Supreme Court rejected a report on the social and economic backwardness of the Marathas submitted by the commission’s former chairman, Justice M.G. Gaikwad (Retd), and struck down the quota given to Marathas under the ‘socially and educationally backward class’ as “unconstitutional”. Earlier this year — faced with the latest round of protests just ahead of the 2024 elections — the Maharashtra government filed a curative petition to get the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision. In October this year, the Maharashtra government announced it would grant Kunbi certificates — Kunbis are a sub-Maratha caste group that’s counted among the state’s OBC — to Marathas to ensure the community is counted among the state’s other backward classes. The move sparked yet another row, with the state’s other OBC groups raising concerns. Meanwhile, Maratha activist Manoj Jarange Patil, who’s been at the centre of the fresh Maratha protests, has given the Eknath Shinde government a December 24 deadline to grant reservation.

Maratha protest: Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission panel members quit citing govt interference

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Maratha protest: Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission panel members quit citing govt interference