Demand for reservation for Marathas justified: Athawale

New Delhi, Aug 16 (PTI) Amid growing demand forreservation for Marathas, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale todaysaid the demand of the dominant community in Maharashtra wasjustified and he would strive to get the community its due. In a statement by his office, Athwale, Union Minister ofState for Social Justice, assured a delegation of SambhajiBrigade, an organisation which has working on this issue,saying reservation for the Marathas is a long pending demandand is now stuck in a legal tangle. The Minister also told the delegation that since thetraditional, social and cultural factors were in favour of thecommunity, it would not be difficult to resolve the issue. The then Congress-NCP government in Maharashtra had givenan OBC status to Marathas and Muslims ahead of the Assemblypolls. However, it was struck down by the Bombay High Court. Jats in Haryana, Kapus in Andhra Pradesh, Patidars inGujarat are some of the prominent communities which have beenseeking reservation under the OBC category. PTI SPG PRRG