Amidst escalating discussions on reservations, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde assured the public on Saturday that his government will ensure that caste tensions do not erupt in society. This statement comes in the wake of Maratha and Other Backward Class (OBC) communities solidifying their positions on the issue of reservations.

Chief Minister Shinde expressed gratitude towards OBC activist Laxman Hake and others for ending their indefinite fast following the government's intervention. "We will ensure there is no caste tension in the society," Shinde emphasized while speaking to reporters in Nashik.

Activists Laxman Hake and Navnath Waghmare began their indefinite fast on June 13 in response to Maratha activist Manoj Jarange-Patil's demand for Marathas to receive reservations within the OBC category. In an effort to address these rising tensions, Shinde chaired a meeting of OBC leaders in Mumbai on Friday and announced that an all-party meeting will be convened during the first week of the monsoon session beginning on June 27. "A good discussion was held on the issue yesterday," he added.

The government plans to use this meeting to discuss the contentious issue of extending reservations to 'sage-soyare' or the kin of Marathas who possess the Kunbi caste certificate. State minister Chhagan Bhujbal confirmed this, explaining that the state government had already issued a draft notification in January to grant Kunbi status to the 'sage-soyare' of Marathas who have established their agrarian Kunbi roots, which is an OBC group.

Maratha activist Manoj Jarange has been vocal in demanding that all Marathas be granted reservations under the OBC category, further intensifying the debate. The upcoming all-party meeting is expected to be crucial in finding a resolution to this complex issue while maintaining social harmony.