Consider reservations for farmers: Sharad Pawar

Mumbai: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar has asked the Union and state government to give reservation to the farmers on the ground of social, educational and financial backwardness. Mr Pawar has clarified that reservation for economically backward classes should be irrespective of constitutional reservations. But experts have dismissed it as a political stunt saying it is not legally tenable.

However, Mr Pawar said that the state government should explore the possibility. With this statement, Mr Pawar’s has added a new twist to the reservation policy, likely with an eye to Lok Sabha and assembly elections next year. 

The state backward class commission is considering the proposal of giving 16 per cent reservation to the Maratha community. 

Mr Pawar said, “When I was a CM, I had successfully implemented reservations offered by the Mandal commission and for women also.  The economically backward reservations should not affect the SC, ST and OBC reservations. Farmers from these categories are getting benefits of reservations. But at least 50-55 per cent population is dependent on agriculture and 82 per cent of farmers have less than two hectare of land holding. So reservation for economically backwards can be considered on the ground of profession also.”

Senior counsel Anil Sakhare told The Asian Age that, “It is legally difficult to give reservation to one particular class like farmers. The Constitution does not permit such discrimination and it will be a breach of article 14. We can’t give more than 50 per cent reservation as per directions of the Supreme Court. The states which had given more than that are  under judicial consideration.” 

Senior Advocate Uday Warunjikar said, “It is not permitted under the Constitution to give reservation to a particular class. We can give reservations to the economically backwards only.”

Union minister  Ramdas Athawale has welcomed Mr Pawar’s demand.