Post the Maratha reservation meeting, Maharashtra Chief
Minister Eknath Shinde said the government has formed an advisory board under
the leadership of various retired Judges to look into the matter.
CM Shinde said, “We have formed an advisory board on
the subject of Maratha reservation under the leadership of retired Justice
Bhosle, retired Justice Gaikwad and retired Justice Shinde. This advisory board
will give suggestions to the government in the matter related to keeping
Marathas in the Supreme Court as to what can be done regarding Maratha
reservation.
Along with this, we will also collect empirical data
with the help of the Backward Classes Commission in the entire State. So that
we can tell the Supreme Court in the curative petition that is pending that how
backward the Maratha community is.”
In the crucial meeting, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde,
BJP ministers Chandrakant Dada Patil, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Minister
Shambhuraj Desai, Dada Bhuse from Shiv Sena Eknath Shinde faction, Minister
Dilip Walse Patil from Nationalist Congress (Ajit Pawar faction) were present
today.
Manoj Jarange Patil, who works as a coordinator for
the Maratha Morcha, is on a hunger strike unto death demanding reservation for
the Maratha community.
Speaking on this, CM Shinde said, “Tomorrow
representatives from Manoj Jarange Patil will meet members of the Cabinet
Sub-Committee for Maratha Reservation for further discussions. We will give a
message through the Divisional Commissioner to Manoj Jarange Patil. I request
Manoj Jarange Patil to call off his indefinite hunger strike as we are working
on what his demands are.”
“In the first report submitted by the Justice Shinde
committee, over One Lakh Marathas have been identified with valid proof which
can be considered for giving them reservation. We will give reservations to the
Maratha community in 2 phases, one through the Kunbi Caste Certificate and the
other in general to the Maratha community on the basis of economic backwardness
which will stand legal scrutiny,” he added.
Further, CM Shinde mentioned the shortcomings in the
efforts made by previous governments to get Maratha reservation passed.
“At one time, the government of Devendra Fadnavis gave
reservation to the Maratha community and all the people together proved that
the reservation was legally correct in the High Court and later when the matter
went to the Supreme Court, the Supreme Court found shortcomings in it and was
rejected.
Today I do not want to do politics on this matter, but
it is true that when this matter went before the Supreme Court, it found
negligence on the part of the government of that time (Uddhav govt) in many
matters, which was necessary after the repeated demands of the Supreme Court,” said
CM Shinde.
He emphasized that his government is now following up
on the curative petition pending in the Supreme Court and trying to make the
Apex Court understand as to how Maratha reservation is completely right from
the point of view of the law.
He also targeted the people inciting violence in the
name of the Maratha reservation and said due to some people creating arson,
fingers are being raised on the entire movement.
“Those who are involved in violence should also keep
in mind that it also harms the Maratha society and their families will also
suffer due to it,” he added.
ANI
