State govt not serious about issue, claims Saamana edit

Just a few hours before the commencement of the allparty meeting on Maratha quota issue, the Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' published an editorial stating that Fadnavis government is not serious about the demands of the Maratha community.

"State Government is not serious about the demands of Maratha community, else they would have taken a decision over their demands by now, " reads the editorial.

The publication also criticised the approach of the Central Government on Maratha reservation agitations.

According to the mouthpiece of the Shiv Sena, the Centre has always been of the approach that movements and agitations need to be suppressed without fulfilling their demands. It also cited an example of Patel's agitation in Gujarat and said the Narendra Modi-led government also suppressed the demands of Patel reservation and now same is feared with Maratha reservation movement too.

Taking a further dig at the ruling party in Maharashtra, the 'Saamana' demanded that Cabinet minister Pankaja Munde should be made the chief minister for at least a day, after she stated that she would have cleared the Maratha quota file in a day if she was the decision maker.

"If Pankaja is so sure about making a decision on it in a day, she must be made the chief minister of the state at least for a day," the publication quoted

It also pointed fingers at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and wrote, he has no time and interest in fulfilling the Maratha community demands as he is busy visiting foreign countries.

"Even if the Chief Minister goes to Delhi, whom would he meet, when Prime Minister is out of the country most of the time. So it seems that Prime Minister has no time or interest to listen to demands of the states, but if Fadnavis is finding himself helpless in taking a decision on the Maratha quota, Pankaja Munde should be given chance to decide over it at least for a day," the 'Saamana' wrote.

State Government is not serious about the demands of Maratha community, else they would have taken a decision over their demands by now, reads the editorial