OBCs to take out protest march in Nagpur on Oct 10 to seek withdrawal of Maratha quota GR

Nagpur, Oct 9 (PTI) Members of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) will take out a protest march in Maharashtra's Nagpur city on October 10 to demand withdrawal of the Government Resolution (GR) on Hyderabad gazetteer for Maratha quota.

Talking to reporters here, Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar said the 'Sakal OBC Samaj' will take out the 'Maha Morcha' in Nagpur on Friday.

The community wants the government to withdraw the GR on Maratha quota, the Congress Legislature Party leader said.

"The OBC community is very angry over the GR and lakhs of people will participate in the protest march. Several OBC organisations and leaders from the community from across Maharashtra will take part in the morcha that will begin around 11.30 am," he said.

"It will be a historic march," the OBC leader said.

On September 2, the Devendra Fadnavis-led government issued the GR on implementing the Hyderabad gazetteer, which will allow eligible members of the Maratha community to apply for Kunbi caste certificates. This will enable the Marathas to claim quota under the OBC category after certificates are issued.

The GR was issued after Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange staged a hunger strike in Mumbai for five days from August 29. However, the decision triggered unease among the OBC community members, who are opposing the possible inclusion of Marathas in the OBC category for reservation.

Several OBC leaders cutting across party lines, including ministers Chhagan Bhujbal (NCP), Pankaja Munde (BJP), former minister Dhananjay Munde (NCP) and Wadettiwar (Congress), have strongly opposed the idea of including the Maratha community into the OBC category for reservation. PTI CLS NP