Maharashtra’s former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray backed the Eknath Shinde government for the Maratha reservation bill. On Tuesday, the Maharashtra legislative assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed a bill providing 10 per cent reservation for the Maratha community in education and government jobs.
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) Chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday said that he appreciates the Eknath Shinde-led government for the Maratha Reservation bill.
“After studying the bill the government table this bill and it was passed and it will stay in court too. I’m happy and we appreciate the government”, Uddhav Thackeray said.
“I congratulate the Maratha people and many people gave their sacrifice for this Maratha reservation.” Uddhav Thackeray added.
Reiterating the Antarwali village lathi charge incident, Thackeray said, “We saw a lathi charge in Antarwali village it was not needed but today I will not question the government. This reservation is for education and job.”
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde tabled the Maharashtra State Socially and Educationally Backward Bill 2024 in the House during the day-long special session of the legislature on Maratha quota.
The bill also proposed that once the reservation comes into effect, its review could be taken after 10 years. Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange, who is sitting on a hunger strike since February 10, had demanded that a special session be called over the issue.
The government recently issued a draft notification which said if a Maratha person has documentary proof to show that he or she belongs to the agrarian Kunbi community, the person’s ‘sage soyre’ or blood relatives too would get Kunbi caste certificates.
The Kunbi community falls in the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) category, and Jarange has been demanding that Kunbi certificates be issued to all Marathas.
Maharashtra cabinet minister Chhagan Bhujbal has been opposing the “backdoor entry” of Marathas into the OBC quota, but is in favour of a separate reservation for the community.
Meanwhile, activist Manoj Jarange Patil refused to end his fast despite the Maratha reservation bill. Jarange on Tuesday said it doesn’t matter if the Maharashtra government grants 10 per cent or 20 per cent reservation to the community, the quota must be under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category and not separate.
Jarange criticised the Maharashtra government for trying to ‘divert’ the quota issue and alleged that it was acting under the influence of Minister Chhagan Bhujbal.
“A separate reservation outside the OBC category might pose legal challenges, as it could exceed the 50 per cent reservation cap,” he said.
Jarange has been on a hunger strike since February 10. This is the fourth time in less than a year that Jarange has observed a hunger strike demanding the inclusion of the Maratha community in the OBC grouping.
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Published: 20 Feb 2024, 04:01 PM IST