Pune: Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi leader Adv. Prakash Ambedkar has called for OBC reservations to be made constitutional, similar to those of Scheduled Castes and Tribes, in response to NCP leader Sharad Pawar's alleged plan to permanently suspend OBC reservations.
Ambedkar criticized Pawar's statement that 225 Maratha community MLAs would be elected in the next assembly elections, calling it dangerous and harmful.
The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi has launched a 'Save Reservation Yatra', which began at Chaityabhoomi in Mumbai and arrived in Pune on Thursday (July 25).
During the event, Ambedkar paid respects to Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule at Samta Bhumi. Key party figures including state vice president Sarvajit Bansode, Priyadarshi Telang, Avinash Bhosikar, Pune city president Munawar Qureshi, general secretary Adv. Arvind Tayde, and numerous OBC organization representatives were present.
Ambedkar emphasized the urgency of the situation regarding OBC reservation. He stressed the importance of aligning with constitutional rights rather than individual leaders or organizations.
He called for the election of at least 100 OBC MLAs in the state assembly to safeguard OBC reservations, urging party members to push for OBC candidates within their respective parties.
Ambedkar also highlighted the representation disparity in the current political landscape, with the Congress, Shiv Sena, and NCP representing the Maratha community, and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and BJP representing Brahmin and Kayastha communities.
He urged citizens not to trust anyone until they clearly state that the demand for 'Maratha reservation under OBC category' by Maratha agitator Manoj Jarange Patil is illegal.
