The Asian Age

Marathas to protest for job quota from June 16

BJP MP Sambhajira­je slams party, Maha govt over politics on quota

- BHAGWAN PARAB

After the supreme court struck down the reservatio­n for Marathas, the aggressive community leaders have decided to hold a statewide agitation across the state to press for their demands. The BJP MP Chhatrapat­i Sambhaji, who is not on good terms with his party leaders, announced on Sunday that the first rally will be held on June 16 in Kolhapur.

"We will no longer be patient. A protest morcha will be taken out from the samadhi of Chhatrapat­i Shahu Maharaj in Kolhapur," he said at Raigad fort on Sunday while speaking at the event organised to mark the coronation of Chhatrapat­i Shivaji Maharaj in 1674.

Five years back, the Maratha community had held similar mammoth but peaceful rallies demanding reservatio­n that had then become the talk of the country. Under pressure, the then BJP-led Maharashtr­a Government had provided quotas to the Maratha community in the educationa­l institutio­ns and government jobs. However, the SC last month struck down the reservatio­n saying that the State Government does not have the right to do so. Sambhajira­je, a descendant of Shivaji Maharaj, said that he will tour the entire state for the quota demand. He criticised the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government and the BJP saying instead of helping the community, they both were involved in a ‘political blame game’ after the Supreme Court’s verdict denying reservatio­n to the Maratha community.

After the supreme court struck down the reservatio­n for Marathas, the aggressive community leaders have decided to hold a statewide agitation across the state to press for their demands. The BJP MP Chhatrapat­i Sambhaji, who is not on good terms with his party leaders, announced on Sunday that the first rally will be held on June 16 in Kolhapur.

“We will no longer be patient. A protest morcha will be taken out from the samadhi of Chhatrapat­i Shahu Maharaj in Kolhapur,” he said at

Raigad fort on Sunday while speaking at the event organised to mark the coronation of Chhatrapat­i Shivaji Maharaj in 1674.

Five years back, the Maratha community had held similar mammoth but peaceful rallies demanding reservatio­n that had then become the talk of the country. Under pressure, the then BJP-led Maharashtr­a government had provided quotas to the Maratha community in the educationa­l institutio­ns and government jobs. However, the SC last month struck down the reservatio­n saying that the state government does not have the right to do so. ◗

Sambhajira­je, a descendant of Shivaji Maharaj, said that he will tour the entire state for the quota demand. He criticised the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government and the BJP saying instead of helping the community, they both were involved in a ‘political blame game’ after the Supreme Court’s verdict denying reservatio­n to the Maratha community. He appealed to the Uddhav Thackeray-led state government to make every effort to ensure that the community gets justice. The state government has appointed a committee of retired High court judge Dilip Bhosale to study the ruling and suggest a way forward. The committee in this report submitted has recommende­d the government to move a review petition in the SC challengin­g its verdict.

FIVE YEARS back, the Maratha community had held similar mammoth but peaceful rallies demanding reservatio­n that had then become the talk of the country. Under pressure, the then BJP-led Maha govt had provided quotas to the Maratha community in the educationa­l institutio­ns and government jobs.

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