Maratha quota: BJP MP to start stir from Jun 16
MUMBAI: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati, also a descendent of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, will begin from June 16 an agitation in Kolhapur for reservation to the Maratha community in education and government jobs. He made the announcement at a function at Raigad Fort in Mahad, on the occasion of the coronation day anniversary of the Maratha king on Sunday.
On May 5, the Supreme Court quashed the 12% and 13% reservation given in education and jobs to the Maratha community under the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act, 2018. The state then appointed a committee of retired high court judge Dilip Bhosale to study the ruling and suggest a way forward. In its report submitted on Friday, the committee has recommended the government move a review petition in the SC challenging its verdict.
The BJP MP had given an ultimatum till June 6 to the state to decide on the demands. The demands include review and curative petitions in the Supreme Court against its order to scrap the quota, as well as a petition to the Centre for the reservation.
Besides, he had also demanded other benefits such as hostel facilities and scholarships for the community’s students and revival of Sarthi — a Pune based institute — to ensure educational and social well-being of the Maratha youth.
Chhatrapati said the agitation will start from Shahu Samadhi Sthal, resting place of social reformer Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj, who is also a descendant of King Shivaji. He will also organise a long march from Pune to Mumbai, if the demands for reservation to the community and other ancillary benefits are not met.
“I have decided not to stay silent until the Maratha community
Maratha Kranti Morcha members mark the coronation day at Panjarpol, Chembur.
gets its reservation. The state government has done nothing since the ultimatum was issued. The agitation is now certain. Our first rally (morcha) will be organised at Shahu Samadhi Sthal, (resting place of Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj) in Kolhapur,” Chhatrapati said, in his address to the community from the fort, after paying homage to Shivaji Maharaj on the anniversary of his coronation as
Chhatrapati in 1674.
“I will then visit all 36 districts of the state, along with leaders from Sakal Maratha Samaj, an umbrella body of various Maratha organisations, and all public representatives right from ministers, MLAS and MPS will have to tell us how they are going to get justice for the community. If the state does not accept our five-six demands even after Covid-19 is over, the entire Maratha community will long march from Pune towards Mumbai. You still have time, do not force us to bring that situation,” he warned.
The Rajya Sabha MP said he was not interested in the political blame game started by the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government as well as his own party — BJP — after the Supreme Court struck down the quota in jobs and admissions to Marathas last month. “We are interested in the options and want to know the roadmap on how to restore the quota for the community in education and jobs,” he said.
On Sunday, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar said the state government was making all possible efforts to grant reservation to the Maratha community without disturbing the existing quotas of other communities.
“I would like to assure people, especially from the Maratha community, that the MVA government is making efforts to ensure they get reservation without disturbing the quotas of other communities,” Pawar told reporters in Pune on the sidelines of Shiv Swarajya Divas.