VBA to support Maharashtra bandh on Oct 10 over Maratha quota issue

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Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi president

Prakash Ambedkar on Thursday said his party will support the Maharashtra bandh called by some Maratha outfits on October 10 over the quota issue.

Speaking to reporters here, Ambedkar said since the VBA has already extended support to the Maratha reservation, it has decided to back the bandh.

While extending support, the VBA has categorically maintained that the Maratha quota and reservation for OBCs are two different things, he said.

"We have conveyed to Suresh Patil of Maratha Arakshan Samiti that these two reservations, Maratha and OBC, will remain different and no demand should be made seeking reservation for Maratha community by touching OBCs' share," Ambedkar said.

If both sides (representing Marathas and OBCs) remain firm on the stand that both the issues will remain separate, the mutual understanding in the state will remain intact, he said.

Without naming BJP MP Udyanraje Bhosale, Ambedkar said he didn't understand how the saffron party could send someone who doesn't know the Constitution to Rajya Sabha and says reservations for everyone be scrapped if Marathas cannot get it.

The Supreme Court had last month stayed the implementation of 2018 Maharashtra law granting reservation to Marathas in education and jobs, but made it clear that the statute of those who availed of the benefits will not be disturbed.

Following this, the state government has filed an application before a larger bench of the apex court, seeking vacation of its stay.