Maratha quota by Nov, says Fadnavis
MUMBAI: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Sunday his government will complete all legal formalities to grant reservation in jobs and education to Marathas by November, as he delivered a televised address
just two days before a deadline set by protesters over their demands.
The chief minister announced a stay on the state’s mega recruitment drive for 72,000 government jobs until a decision on the Maratha reservation is taken. This was one of the demands of the agitating outfits, but until Sunday, the government had shied away from making a statement.
“The state government was committed to provide reservation to the community, and all legal formalities will be completed by November-end. The State Backward Class Commission constituted by the state government has been asked to submit its report as early as possible,” Fadnavis said in his address on Doordarshan’s Sahyadri news channel on Sunday evening.
The chief minister added: “The Bombay high court too has asked the commission to inform them by August 7 about when they will submit the report, after which a time-bound programme can be made to complete all legal procedures.”
The CM, however, warned that if violent protests continued, it could drive new businesses and industries away from Maharashtra, and appealed to the Maratha community and political leaders to unite and resolve the issue.
The Maratha agitation had taken a violent turn following the death of a youth on July 23. Since then, the stir has seen arson and stone-pelting in several districts of the state.
In his 15-minute address, Fadnavis said that the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission would inform the Bombay high court on August 7 about when it will submit its report regarding the Maratha quota.
Nanasaheb Kute Patil, the state coordinator of the Maratha Kranti Morcha, called the chief minister’s announcement a “tactic to buy time”. “Asking for time till November simply means buying time, as by then, elections in the state may get announced,” Patil said.