Sena seeks constitutional amendment to facilitate quota, asks Modi to help

■ Sena urges Centre to amend statute to make it possible

A day after the Supreme Court struck down Maratha reservation, the Shiv Sena on Thursday asked the political parties of Maharashtra to not use it as a political weapon. The party also urged the Modi government to intervene and make amendments in Indian Constitution to facilitate Maratha reservation.

Hitting out at the BJP, the Shiv Sena said that Maratha reservation is not an issue to do politics on. “The opposition parties should understand that Maratha reservation is not a subject to do politics.., “said the Sena in an editorial in its party mouthpiece Saamana. The Leader of the Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly and all the parties of MVA should unite and fight this battle by keeping aside the political differences, the party said.

The editorial also said that chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has, ‘with folded hands’ urged the Central government ‘to take a decision on Maratha reservation’.

“The Apex Court has maintained that the state government does not have the power to extend reservation beyond 50 per cent.

Now, only the Centre has the power. The promptness with which the Centre took decisions in Shah Bano case, Atrocities Act and abrogation of Article 370 needs to be shown even in the case of Maratha reservation,” it added.

Expressing disappointment over the Apex Court’s decision, the Sena said that it was “unfortunate” that a law, which was found to be valid in the high court, got ‘quashed’ in the Supreme Court.

THE LEADER of the Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly and all political parties of the MVA government should unite and fight this battle by keeping aside the political differences, Shiv Sena said.