Maharashtra CM says reservation for Brahmins not possible

Mumbai: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has turned down the demand of providing reservation to Brahmins on the basis of economic status. The state would not be able to provide reservation to Brahmins, he said on Sunday.

“While the Maratha community has been provided reservation by the state government, we will also recommend reservation to the Dhangar community. However, it is not possible to provide reservation to the Brahmin community based on economic status,” said Mr Fadnavis. He was speaking at a conclave organised by a private news channel in Mumbai.

The demand to provide reservation to Brahmins was made by the Akhil Bharatiya Brahmin Mahasangh. It had demanded that the community should be provided backward class status in ord-er to avail the reservati-on quota benefits. Chan-drakant Patil, senior Bharatiya Janata Party minister, had also assured the community that the government would look into their demands.

Anand Dave, one of the leaders of the Mahasangh, had said that they were not seeking reservation, but were just asking for a survey to find out the ground reality of the community. “It is false that all Brahmins are well to do and financially sound. Almost 60 to 70 per cent Brahmins are poor and struggling to make both ends meet as bhikshuki (almsman),” Mr Dave had said.

Mr Dave has demanded a fresh survey through a backward class commission or other independent committee. “If the survey proves we are economically backward, we will seek concession in educational fees, jobs to unemployed youth and honorarium to purohits (priests),” he had said.

The 90-lakh Brahmin community has around eight per cent share in the state population.