Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil on Tuesday said the government's move to approve the draft bill for implementing a 10 per cent reservation has been taken by keeping election and votes in mind. This was his first reaction after the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government gave a nod to the draft bill for implementing a 10% reservation for the Maratha community in educational institutions and government positions. The bill was tabled by the CM in the state assembly which later got passed in the House.
"This decision of the government has been taken by keeping election and votes in mind. This is a betrayal to the Maratha community. Maratha community won't trust you. We will benefit only from our original demands. Make a law on ‘sage-soyare’. This reservation won't hold. The government will now lie that the reservation has been given," he said.
Maharashtra legislature hold special session
A special session of the Maharashtra legislature held on Tuesday to discuss reservation and other demands of the Maratha community. The quota and other issues of the Maratha community were discussed in the state cabinet meeting after which it was decided to hold a special session.
After Jarange organised a march to Mumbai with thousands of his supporters last month, the government issued a draft notification which said if a Maratha person has documentary proof to show that he or she belongs to the agrarian Kunbi community, the person's `sage soyre' or blood relatives too would get Kunbi caste certificates.
A special session be called to convert the draft notification into law, he had demanded while launching the hunger strike at his village Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district on February 10.
(With agencies inputs)
Also read: Maharashtra CM Shinde tables Maratha quota bill in state assembly
