Uddhav meets Modi, requests removal of 50% limit on quota
Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday to press for giving reservation to the Maratha community, allotment of land for Metro car shed, availing the GST compensation from the Centre and appointment of 12 members of legislative council, which is pending with governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. He was accompanied by deputy chief minister and senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar and senior Congress leader Ashok Chavan. The Prime Minister, Mr Thackeray said, assured him that he would look into the issues.
The PMO tweeted, “Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Uddhav Thackeray, Deputy Chief Minister Shri @AjitPawarSpeaks and Cabinet Minister Shri @AshokChavanINC called on PM @narendramodi. @OfficeofUT @CMOMaharashtra.”
During the meeting, Mr Thackeray apprised the PM about the important points in the Supreme Court verdict over the Maratha reservation issue. “I raised the issue of Maratha reservation. Despite states being given more rights, the reservation issue will not be solved if the 50 percent cap on reservation is not lifted,” he said.
Mr Thackeray said that he has demanded that the 50 per cent limit for providing reservation should be lifted to give "justice" to the Maratha community. “As the Centre has the right to take a decision on the reservation issue, it should decide at the earliest to give justice to the Maratha community,”
he added. Mr Thackeray also discussed the controversial Metro car shed issue with Mr Modi saying the state government wants to move the project to Kanjur and the Centre should help it by handing over the land to it.
Mr Pawar demanded that Maharashtra should receive its GST compensation of `24,306 crore that is pending with the Centre. “Amidst the coronavirus crisis, it will provide a lot of financial relief to Maharashtra,” he said.
Commenting on his relations with Shiv Sena’s former ally, he said, “We may not be politically together but that doesn’t mean our relationship has broken... Main koi Nawaz Sharif se nahi milne gaya tha” (I didn’t go to meet Nawaz Sharif). So if I meet him (PM) separately in person, there is nothing wrong with it.”
The delegation from Maharashtra raised the issue of the delay in appointments of 12 seats in the Vidhan Parishad (State Legislative Council) from the governor’s quota. There has been a deliberate delay in the appointments, they said.
Former CM and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis welcomed the Thackeray-led delegation’s meeting with the PM and said such dialogues were better than pointing fingers at the Centre for everything. He also expressed surprise over Mr Thackeray raising the issue of appointment of 12 MLC as it is the governor’s prerogative.
“It is good that Mr Thackeray met the PM. Such dialogue should be held regularly with the Centre. But it is better if the CM meets the PM regarding the issues concerning the Central government. Of 12 points discussed by the state delegation, eight issues have to be settled by the state itself. And raising the issue of 12 MLCs was completely out of place. Only the governor can take a decision on that,” Mr Fadnavis said.