Reservations are meant to level the field in education and employment for those population groups which have historically been the targets of injustice. Politicians, however, have shown themselves to be more interested in attracting votes by bestowing quotas, thus making them into a kind of competition between castes. The divisive effect of this approach is being manifested in the conflict between Marathas and other backward classes in Maharashtra. The tensions began spiralling upwards since last year, with rallies and fasts by their leaders, but the situation is still deadlocked. The Marathas, who comprise 33% of the population of the state and are among the most influential castes, are demanding reservations in the OBC category. The chief minister, a Maratha, went as far as to promise them that some time back. That is, Marathas who have Kunbi certificates would be given OBC status with their kin. The Kunbis are an agrarian caste and designated OBCs. A state government decision earlier to give Marathas 16% reservation was first reduced to 12% by the court and later dismissed altogether. But the Marathas are adamant about OBC identity. They rejected an assembly decision to give them a separate 10% quota, perhaps fearing that this, too, will not stand court scrutiny.

On the other side, the OBCs, apparently across parties, are as strongly resistant to the Maratha demand as the latter are insistent. They fear that the Marathas will eat into their quota and also dilute the category of backwardness. This split down Maharashtra’s society was perhaps partly reflected in the Lok Sabha results: the Bharatiya Janata Party won no seat in Marathwada, the chief site of the agitation. But the tussle bodes ill for all parties, including the present Opposition, in the coming assembly elections. No resolution has been successful yet. It seems that the political use of reservations is threatening to slip out of the control of parties and their leaders, a logical consequence of its divisive potential. That effective strategies may not be easy to come by is suggested by Sharad Pawar’s statement that the Centre should sort this out and that the laws of the state and the Centre should change. Uddhav Thackeray has deplored caste conflict and divisiveness, saying that Maharashtra never had these before. But who will put the genie back in the bottle?