Maratha reservation issue: State panel to submit report tomorrow

The Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission will submit its observation on the eligibility of the Maratha community for reservation in education and jobs to the state government on Thursday.

The report will further be submitted to the Bombay High Court, based on which a decision will be taken on the issue.

The upper caste Maratha community, constituting 33% of the caste-conscious state, had been agitating since last year for demanding reservation in jobs and education in the aftermath of the agrarian crisis in the state.

The protests took a violent turn on August 9 and as many as 194 people were arrested by the Pune Police for rioting and arson.

Apart from demanding a decision on their demands at the earliest, the community members sought a waiver of farmer loans, justice in Kopardi rape case and a solution to unemployment.