Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Tuesday pushed for a consensus on reservation in jobs and education for Marathas at an all-party meeting here and asserted that while the emotive issue is resolved, the existing quota of other communities will not be affected.
The all-party meeting on the Maratha reservation issue convened in the evening was boycotted by the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). It was called ahead of the assembly elections scheduled for October and days before the deadline set by Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange for the state government to accept the community's demands, including quota in the OBC category. .
A statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) late last night quoted CM Eknath Shinde as saying that the issue of reservation for the Maratha community and OBCs can only be resolved through talks.Shinde emphasized that the state government was committed to ensuring that the 10 per cent reservation given to the Maratha community under a separate category through legislation earlier this year stands the test of law.
He assured that while he offers reservation to the Maratha community, the quota of other communities will not be altered.
Shinde said that an 11-member team was sent to Hyderabad to verify the Nizam's gazettes where Kunbi records of people in Marathwada can be found. The Marathwada region of present-day Maharashtra was under the Nizam's rule.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told reporters that Shinde listened to the views of political party leaders in the meeting and promised a proper decision on the Maratha reservation issue.
He said the contentious issue of granting Kunbi caste certificates to "sage soyare" (blood relatives) was also discussed in the meeting. Last month, OBC quota activists Laxman Hake and Navnath Waghmare went on strike of hunger demanding removal of the draft notification granting Kunbi certificates to Marathas to avail benefits of quotas in the OBC category.
Kunbi, an agrarian community, falls under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, and Jarange, who is spearheading the agitation on the reservation issue, has been demanding Kunbi certificates for all Marathas, making them eligible for reservation benefits in education. and government jobs.
"Efforts are being made to bring greater consensus on the issue. The purpose of the meeting was to ensure that there is social harmony in the state and that the problems of all communities are addressed," Fadnavis said. He said the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, headed by B R Ambedkar's grandson Prakash Ambedkar, suggested that the government should seek the opinion of all political parties on its stand on the quota issue in a written format.
Speaking to reporters, Chief Minister Shinde said leaders of all parties had agreed to attend the meeting and slammed the MVA for staying away from it.
A similar meeting took place in November 2023. Various leaders expressed various opinions which will be discussed with the Advocate General, the CM said.
Shinde said the MVA's policy is to ensure that Maharashtra remains in suspense for its political benefits.
He alleged that efforts are being made to remove the 10 per cent reservation given to the Maratha community and added that the opposition is exposed by missing the meeting. Fadnavis also criticized the MVA leaders for not attending the all-party conclave and He said his boycott was planned in advance.
The deputy CM, who also holds the Home portfolio, alleged that the opposition intentionally skipped the meeting to keep Maharashtra "burning" and take political advantage of the situation.
"They (MVA leaders) do not have time to talk about the Maratha reservation issue, but they have time to discuss election preparations (for the July 12 legislative council polls). This shows that no community "It's important for the opposition and what matters to them." "It's elections and power," Fadnavis said. Ambadas Danve, opposition leader in the legislative council, said Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP) and Congress skipped the meeting because the government did not share details with the opposition over the discussions he had with representatives of OBC and Maratha communities.
Danve, a Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC, said the government should raise the quota issue in the state legislature which is currently holding its monsoon session.
Earlier in the day, leader of the opposition in the assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar of the Congress, said the MVA will not attend the all-party meeting as the government did not take the opposition into confidence on the matter.Speaking in the assembly , Wadettiwar said the people of the state need to know what discussions Chief Minister Shinde and Vice Presidents Ajit Pawar and Fadnavis have had so far on the issue of quotas.
"What have they discussed and what have they promised (to the agitators)? They should explain it in the assembly. There is a clash between two communities (OBC and Marathas) and the government should give justice to both. We are not going to go to the The government should make your position clear in the legislature," the Congress MLA demanded.
Breaking his fast on June 13, activist Jarange had given a deadline of one month (till July 13) before the government to accept the demands of the Maratha community. He has been demanding the implementation of the draft notification that recognizes Kunbis as “sage soyare” of Marathas and also seeking a law to identify Kunbis as Marathas.
The all-party meeting on the Maratha reservation issue convened in the evening was boycotted by the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). It was called ahead of the assembly elections scheduled for October and days before the deadline set by Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange for the state government to accept the community's demands, including quota in the OBC category. .
A statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) late last night quoted CM Eknath Shinde as saying that the issue of reservation for the Maratha community and OBCs can only be resolved through talks.Shinde emphasized that the state government was committed to ensuring that the 10 per cent reservation given to the Maratha community under a separate category through legislation earlier this year stands the test of law.
He assured that while he offers reservation to the Maratha community, the quota of other communities will not be altered.
Shinde said that an 11-member team was sent to Hyderabad to verify the Nizam's gazettes where Kunbi records of people in Marathwada can be found. The Marathwada region of present-day Maharashtra was under the Nizam's rule.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told reporters that Shinde listened to the views of political party leaders in the meeting and promised a proper decision on the Maratha reservation issue.
He said the contentious issue of granting Kunbi caste certificates to "sage soyare" (blood relatives) was also discussed in the meeting. Last month, OBC quota activists Laxman Hake and Navnath Waghmare went on strike of hunger demanding removal of the draft notification granting Kunbi certificates to Marathas to avail benefits of quotas in the OBC category.
Kunbi, an agrarian community, falls under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, and Jarange, who is spearheading the agitation on the reservation issue, has been demanding Kunbi certificates for all Marathas, making them eligible for reservation benefits in education. and government jobs.
"Efforts are being made to bring greater consensus on the issue. The purpose of the meeting was to ensure that there is social harmony in the state and that the problems of all communities are addressed," Fadnavis said. He said the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, headed by B R Ambedkar's grandson Prakash Ambedkar, suggested that the government should seek the opinion of all political parties on its stand on the quota issue in a written format.
Speaking to reporters, Chief Minister Shinde said leaders of all parties had agreed to attend the meeting and slammed the MVA for staying away from it.
A similar meeting took place in November 2023. Various leaders expressed various opinions which will be discussed with the Advocate General, the CM said.
Shinde said the MVA's policy is to ensure that Maharashtra remains in suspense for its political benefits.
He alleged that efforts are being made to remove the 10 per cent reservation given to the Maratha community and added that the opposition is exposed by missing the meeting. Fadnavis also criticized the MVA leaders for not attending the all-party conclave and He said his boycott was planned in advance.
The deputy CM, who also holds the Home portfolio, alleged that the opposition intentionally skipped the meeting to keep Maharashtra "burning" and take political advantage of the situation.
"They (MVA leaders) do not have time to talk about the Maratha reservation issue, but they have time to discuss election preparations (for the July 12 legislative council polls). This shows that no community "It's important for the opposition and what matters to them." "It's elections and power," Fadnavis said. Ambadas Danve, opposition leader in the legislative council, said Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP) and Congress skipped the meeting because the government did not share details with the opposition over the discussions he had with representatives of OBC and Maratha communities.
Danve, a Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC, said the government should raise the quota issue in the state legislature which is currently holding its monsoon session.
Earlier in the day, leader of the opposition in the assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar of the Congress, said the MVA will not attend the all-party meeting as the government did not take the opposition into confidence on the matter.Speaking in the assembly , Wadettiwar said the people of the state need to know what discussions Chief Minister Shinde and Vice Presidents Ajit Pawar and Fadnavis have had so far on the issue of quotas.
"What have they discussed and what have they promised (to the agitators)? They should explain it in the assembly. There is a clash between two communities (OBC and Marathas) and the government should give justice to both. We are not going to go to the The government should make your position clear in the legislature," the Congress MLA demanded.
Breaking his fast on June 13, activist Jarange had given a deadline of one month (till July 13) before the government to accept the demands of the Maratha community. He has been demanding the implementation of the draft notification that recognizes Kunbis as “sage soyare” of Marathas and also seeking a law to identify Kunbis as Marathas.
