Nagpur: OBC organisations from Vidarbha have announced a phase-wise agitation culminating in a nationwide “Chalo Delhi” mobilisation from Nov 1, demanding a separate column for OBCs in the caste census.Congress MLA Vijay Wadettiwar announced the details of the protest while addressing a meeting of OBC office-bearers and workers from 11 districts of Vidarbha in Nagpur on Saturday. He said a separate OBC column in the caste census is the community’s ‘clear demand’ and that the issue would be pursued through a coordinated campaign.“If the community’s population figure does not come out, the question of their representation and reservation could turn more serious,” Wadettiwar said.Wadettiwar said the agitation will begin with taluka-level satyagrahas on Oct 2, coinciding with Gandhi Jayanti and the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. District-level agitations and marches are planned on Oct 25, ahead of the Nov 1 mobilisation in Delhi.The MLA said the protest plan is based on decisions taken at a Sept 13 meeting of around 65 OBC organisations in Delhi. The final structure and scale of the Nov 1 agitation, involving OBC organisations from across the country, will be decided at a joint meeting of community bodies.The announcement comes amid continuing political debate over caste enumeration, OBC representation and reservation. The demand for a distinct OBC category in census data is being projected by the organisations as a means of establishing the community’s population and strengthening the basis for discussions on representation and reservation.Wadettiwar also addressed the politically sensitive issue of Maratha reservation. He said the govt should not transfer the reservation quota of one community to another. “Whoever needs to be given a reservation, give it separately, but do not give away the OBC’s share to anyone. If our rights are touched, we will not sit quiet,” he said.Wadettiwar said a study would be undertaken of the state govt’s eventual decisions on the demands raised by Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange. He also pointed out that courts are already dealing with aspects of the reservation issue.The Congress MLA further demanded immediate state assistance for farmers affected by drought conditions in Marathwada instead of waiting for Centre’s funding process. He said guardian ministers visiting the region should engage directly with farmers and ensure that their visits result in concrete decisions on relief.Taking a dig at reports that dry fruits were served at an official meeting in Nanded, Wadettiwar said such gestures would not address farmers’ problems.
