Pune:

Nationalist Congress Party (SP) President, Sharad Pawar, today called upon the Maharashtra and Union governments to resolve the vexed Maratha quota issue, expressing full support to any initiative, including hiking the 50 per cent ceiling.

The senior Pawar urged Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to convene an all-party meeting to resolve the Maratha quota issue and said the Centre should work to scrap the 50 per cent ceiling on reservations.

“The judiciary has barred more than 50 per cent reservation in the country, but if there’s a problem then all parties in the state should come together and insist that the Centre remove it. The Centre has the power to change the ceiling limits. If that is done with the support of all parties, we shall fully back it,” declared Sharad Pawar.

The NCP(SP) supremo’s stance echoed the sentiments expressed last week by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ally, Shiv Sena (UBT) President and former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who faced flak from the ruling Mahayuti partners.

Sharad Pawar pointed out how Tamil Nadu had given 76 per cent quota earlier, and after that the decision was taken to impose a 50 per cent ceiling on reservation. Sharad Pawar pointed out that now power vests only with the Centre.

Appealing to all political parties in the state to work together to defuse the strife created by the Maratha-OBC quotas, the NCP(SP) supremo said that the Chief Minister should invite the striking Shivba Sanghatana leader Manoj Jarange-Patil.

Sharad Pawar added that OBC leaders should also be called for the all-party meeting, while the MVA would join as the Opposition.

Reacting to the suggestion, Chief Minister Shinde today said that he was in consultation with Sharad Pawar about ‘alternatives’ on the long-simmering quotas issue that has created a political upheaval in Maharashtra.

“All parties must ensure that the social environment is maintained in the state and there is no bitterness between the two communities (Marathas-OBCs) on the issue. If we don’t do it now, then it is impossible to predict what will happen,” said Sharad Pawar.

To a query whether Mr Jarange-Patil should contest the forthcoming Assembly elections on the Maratha cause, Sharad Pawar diplomatically ducked it, saying “in a democracy, everybody has the right to contest elections and seek votes”.

Mr Jarange-Patil has repeatedly threatened that if the government fails to grant the quotas and other demands as promised, then Marathas would not only work to defeat candidates of the Mahayuti and MVA, but also put up nominees in all the 288 Assembly seats and attempt to come to power.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Mumbai:

The Bombay High Court on Monday said the Maharashtra government cannot remain a mute spectator amid the Maratha quota protests and had powers to maintain law and order.

A division bench of Justices A S Gadkari and Shyam Chandak said the government does not require orders from the court to control the situation.

The bench was hearing a petition filed by Gunaratan Sadavarte against the protests initiated by Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange.

Last week, Jarange’s advocate V M Thorat had assured the court they were carrying out a peaceful agitation.

On Monday, Sadavarte told the bench the agitation had turned violent in many places across the state.

Advocate General Birendra Saraf and public prosecutor Hiten Venegaonkar, appearing for the government, told the court 267 cases had been registered across Maharashtra following instances of violence.

The bench then remarked that the state has powers to control the situation.

“It is for the state to take care of the situation. The state cannot be a mute spectator. It has to remove blockades,” the HC said.

If the assurance given by Jarange that the agitation would be peaceful is not kept then it is for the state to “take care of the situation”, the HC said.

Thorat submitted to the bench that these were political issues and should not be brought to court.

He claimed Jarange had called off the agitation on January 26 after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde assured that his demands would be met.

“However, since the demands were not met, a second phase of agitation has started,” Thorat said.

The court posted the matter for further hearing on March 5.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Mumbai:

In a scathing attack on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Maratha quota agitation leader Manoj Jarange Patil today accused the BJP leader of hatching a plot to deny quota benefits to members of the community. Speaking to the media, Mr Patil today threatened to begin a march to Mr Fadnavis’ home.

“Fadnavis has taken a decision without taking (Chief Minister Eknath) Shinde in the loop. Everything is happening on his directions, he is running the state. Does Fadnavis want me to sacrifice myself? I wil march to his bungalow. Stop me if you can,” said Mr Patil, who hit headlines for his hunger strike in demand of reservation for Marathas.

The Maharashtra Assembly last week passed a resolution to provide quota benefits to the politically-influential community that accounts for nearly 30 per cent of the state’s population.

Mr Patil has, however, said the new law is not in line with their demand. “We need reservation which we deserve, give reservation under OBC category to those whose proof of being Kunbi has been found. For those who don’t have proof, pass a law of ‘Sage Soyare’,” Mr Patil said after the Bill cleared the Assembly. The quota agitation leader is demanding benefits for blood relations of members of the Kunbi sub-caste among Marathas. The Kunbis enjoy reservation within the OBC category.

During the agitation, Mr Patil had demanded that all members of Maratha community be considered Kunbi and given reservations under the OBC Quota, but the state government decided that only people with Nizam-era Kunbi certificates will get the benefits.

“Fadnavis is trying to create a rift within the Maratha community. Attempts are being made to finish big communities and give more prominence to smaller communities,” he alleged.

Mr Patil said he is not affiliated to any political party. “I am a farmer’s son. I will not spare Fadnavis. Attempts are being made to finish off the Maratha community and defame me. Fadnavis will be wiped off. I will ensure that relatives (of Marathas) get quota benefits,” he said.

The legislation brought by the Eknath Shinde government is the third attempt in a decade to provide reservation benefits to the Maratha community. The earlier two attempts during the tenure of Congress’s Prithviraj Chavan and Mr Fadnavis were struck down by courts.

A key factor behind the setbacks to the earlier laws was the fact that it took the quantum of total reservation past the 50 per cent ceiling fixed by the Supreme Court.

The Opposition has warned that the legislation may not eventually clear the judicial test.

Veteran leader Sharad Pawar has said it is similar to the one brought by the Devendra Fadnavis government. “We need to see what happens to the fresh bill in the Supreme Court,” he has said. State Congress chief Nana Patole has slammed the BJP for bringing the law just before the elections. “These types of laws were brought two times, but they were scrapped and put in a bin in the Supreme Court. In 2019, they did for the winning elections and now also they did for the elections. They want to take the credit for this. This will not work because it is done only for the election to get the votes of the Maratha community,” the Congress leader has said.

The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) has welcomed the legislation but added that “nothing can be said” till it is implemented. Taking a swipe at his estranged lieutenant Eknath Shinde, Mr Thackeray said, “Everyone knows the history of CM (Shinde). Therefore, till the time whatever he has said is implemented, nothing can be said.”