‘Reservation Not For Poverty Eradication’: Chhagan Bhujbal Rejects Economic Criteria For Quota – Delhi News Daily

According to Bhujbal, the principle is straightforward: only communities identified as socially backward are eligible for quotas. (Image: PTI File)

Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction) leader and senior Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal has strongly pushed back against calls for reservation based on economic criteria, arguing that the system was never meant as a poverty eradication tool. His remarks came in response to NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) MP Supriya Sule’s recent statement supporting economic factors in deciding quotas.

Bhujbal, one of the most prominent OBC leaders in Maharashtra, underlined that the very foundation of India’s reservation policy rests on social backwardness, not financial hardship. “Reservation is not a poverty eradication programme. Its basis is social backwardness. Those who are socially backward deserve it, not just anyone who is poor,” he told reporters.

He explained that poverty-related concerns are already being addressed through welfare measures targeted at farmers, students, and specific communities. “Farmers get subsidies, students from various castes receive scholarships and financial aid, and Maratha students also benefit from hostel facilities. For business needs, the Annasaheb Patil Development Corporation provides support to the Maratha community,” he said.

Reiterating his firm stance on the Maratha quota, Bhujbal argued that the community does not qualify as socially backward. He pointed to findings of multiple commissions and the judiciary, which, he said, had consistently rejected Maratha claims to backward status. “The Deshmukh Commission, Khatri Commission, Bapat Commission, Saraf Commission, and even the Bombay High Court have all said the Marathas are not socially backward. That is the reality,” he asserted.

According to Bhujbal, the principle is straightforward: only communities identified as socially backward are eligible for quotas. “The question is simple — are those demanding reservation socially backward? If not, they cannot and should not be included under the system. No matter the pressure, reservation cannot be extended to socially forward communities,” he said.

His remarks came after Sule, in an interview to an media house, suggested that economic conditions should play a role in granting reservation benefits. While acknowledging her freedom to hold a different view, Bhujbal stressed that such a move would dilute the purpose of affirmative action in India. “Economic support is available through welfare schemes. But reservation must remain for those who are socially disadvantaged,” he added.

The sharp exchange highlights the deepening ideological divide within the two NCP factions, especially on the sensitive subject of reservations. Bhujbal, who has long positioned himself as a defender of OBC rights, appears determined to protect existing quotas from what he sees as dilution.

With Maharashtra heading into an election season, the clash of opinions between Sule and Bhujbal reflects the larger political tensions around the Maratha quota issue. Their contrasting positions suggest that reservations will continue to dominate the state’s political debate in the coming months.