Nana Patole bats for OBCs, calls them ‘most ignored community’

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who on Sunday said he would work for the welfare of the Maratha community till the moment he stays on as CM, on Monday seemed to be playing the Other Backward Class (OBC) card.

Party MP Nana Patole, who belongs to the OBC category, called the OBCs the “most ignored community,” whose voice has been suppressed after the implementation of the Mandal commission recommendations in the 1990s by then-PM V.P. Singh.

“OBCs are getting the benefit of reservation considering the figures of the 1931 census. Even the Mandal commission had referred to the same census,” Mr Patole said on Monday. He added, “Don’t you think that the population of OBC and Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) has increased ”

Mr Patole has been raising the alleged non-issuance of scholarship to OBC students for the past five years and has also demanded the institution of a separate Mantralaya for OBCs.

Mr Fadnavis’ statement on Sunday about the stability of his seat, made during a speech in Navi Mumbai, was criticised on Monday by Opposition parties. He had said his government was committed to bringing reservation to the Maratha community. The 16 per cent reservation to Maratha community, which was given by the erstwhile Congress-NCP government, has been nullified by the high court. There is unrest in the Maratha community against the government over reservation and the Atrocity Act issue. Hence, as a part of damage control, BJP seems to be playing the OBC card by projecting Mr Patole.

Mr Patole said, according to the Constitution, census could be conducted every 10 years and the next census will be conducted in 2021. Till that time, they would try to create an atmosphere across the country that encourages cast-wise, and not religion-wise census.

At present, India conducts economy-based census and religion-wise census. So, the population of Hindus, Muslims, Christians and other religions is available, whereas the population of Brahmin, Maratha, Dhangar and such communities are not available, he added.

Asked whether he was opposing reservation to Marathas, he denied it and welcomed the protests being organised by the community. He also denied that he has been projected to dilute the unrest within the Maratha community against the government. He claimed that a sector is trying to divide the OBCs and Marathas over the reservation policy.