By | Kunwarchand Mandale
Nanded: The reservation dispute in Maharashtra’s Nanded has now taken a sharp caste turn, directly affecting children’s education. The conflict stems from Professor Manohar Dhonde, founder-president of the All India Veershaiv Shiv Sangathan, who recently filed a Public Interest Litigation in the Bombay High Court. In his petition, Dhonde demanded cancellation of the government’s decision to implement the Hyderabad Gazette, which grants OBC quota benefits to the Maratha community.
In response, the Maratha community has taken an aggressive stand against Dhonde. Parents from Loha tehsil’s Risanagaon have collectively applied for Transfer Certificates (TC) to withdraw their children from Ma Meenatai Thackeray Ashram School, where Dhonde serves as secretary. Reports confirm that around 21 Maratha parents have united in boycotting the institution.
The move has triggered retaliation. Members of the OBC community, angered by the Maratha stance, declared that they will not send their children to schools run by Maratha management. What began as a legal battle in court has now spilled into the education system, dividing school enrollment along community lines.
Local sources suggest that both communities are hardening their positions. Maratha parents insist they will not allow their children to study in institutions linked to Dhonde, while OBC parents have resolved to pull out of Maratha-run schools. This tit-for-tat boycott has raised fears of escalating social tension in the region.
Observers warn that what started as a quota-related court petition has now grown into a Maratha–OBC standoff, with education becoming the first casualty. The issue has not only created unrest in Risanagaon but has also sent shockwaves across Nanded district, signaling a widening rift that could deepen if not addressed soon
