Ahead of the Maratha community’s sit-in protests across the state from June 16 seeking a solution to their reservation demands, leaders Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati and Udayanraje Bhosale met in Pune on Monday and warned the Maharashtra state government that its indecisiveness could spark violence which would then be difficult to control.
“The state government lacks the will to find a solution to the reservation imbroglio. If it continues to delay the decision on the demands of the Maratha community, it will lead to violence. The government will be responsible. We will not be able to stop the violence. If we try to pacify the agitators, we also might be attacked,” said Rajya Sabha MP Bhosale after the meeting and Sambhajiraje, a fellow MP, agreed with the view.
“The way things are happening, we cannot rule out another partition. Both central and state governments will be responsible for this,” Bhosale added.
Bhosale demanded that a session of the state assembly be convened to discuss the Maratha reservation issue. “Why is the state government not covering a House session on the Maratha reservation? Why can’t the MLAs discuss the issue? We are demanding the House session because the MLAs say one thing inside the house, another outside it. Let the House session be telecast live and let people know the views of our representatives,” Bhosale said.
Sambhajiraje said their demands of the supernumerary system, strengthening Sarathi and Annasaheb Patil Mahamandal, setting up hostels for the Maratha community and providing scholarships, all come within the purview of the state government. He also urged the government to seek clarification from the Supreme Court regarding the jobs of those who were selected before the interim stay order on Maratha reservation in September last year.
On May 5, the Supreme Court quashed the 12 per cent and 13 per cent reservation in education and jobs for the Maratha community, which was upheld by the Bombay High Court.
Sambhajiraje said, “Since the Supreme Court has said Maratha community is a forward or upper caste community, the community has two options before it. One is filing a review petition and the other a curative petition. The chances of the review petition getting dismissed are more. And the Bhosale committee has advised against filing a curative petition. Now the option before the state government is setting up another commission to prove the social backwardness of the Maratha community. The government can approach the governor who can then go to the President.”
“I am sure the judges had not read the Gaikwad Commission report before giving their ruling. If the state government has willpower, it can easily find a solution,” Bhosale said.