Maratha quota: Mahayuti holds consensus meet, Fadnavis says 'no community important to MVA'

The Mahayuti government, led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, on Tuesday held a consensus meeting on the issue of Maratha reservation. The government pushed for arriving at a consensus on reservation in jobs and educational institutions for the Maratha community at an all-party meeting in Mumbai. 

The Shinde government also said that while resolving the contentious issue, other communities' existing quota won't be disturbed. During the meeting, Shinde emphasised that the government was committed to ensure that the 10 per cent reservation given to the Maratha community earlier this year under a separate category is within the law. 

He added that an 11-member team has also been sent to Hyderabad to check the gazettes of Nizam, where Kunbi records of people in Marathwada can be found, newswire PTI reported. Before India gained Independence at the stroke of the midnight, the Marathwada region was under the Nizam's rule. 

The meeting came days ahead of the deadline set by Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil to meet the community's demands. While suspending his fast on June 13, activist Jarange gave the government a one-month deadline, until July 13, to meet the Maratha community's demands.

Other issues discussed in meeting

After the meeting, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis told reporters that the issue of giving Kunbi caste certificates to 'sage soyare' or blood relatives was also discussed. He added that Shinde assured the leaders of an appropriate decision on the issue.

Last month, OBC quota activists Laxman Hake and Navnath Waghmare went on a hunger strike demanding that the draft notification that gives Kunbi certificates to Marathas to avail quota benefits under the OBC category be scrapped. Kunbi falls in the other backward classes (OBC) category.

Jarange has been demanding Kunbi certificates for Marathas, which will make them eligible for reservation in education and government jobs. He has also been advocating for the implementation of a draft notification that recognizes Kunbis as "sage soyare" of Marathas.

MVA gives consensus meet a miss 

The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), however, boycotted the meeting. Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council Ambadas Danve told the newswire that the MVA gave the meeting a miss as the government did not share details about the discussions held with the representatives of OBC and Maratha communities. 

He said the government should address the quota matter in the monsoon session of the Maharashtra assembly.

Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar said, "What have they discussed and what have they promised (to agitators). They should explain in the assembly. There is a stand off between 2 communities (OBC and Marathas) and the government should give justice to both. We are not going to the meeting. The government must make its stand clear in the legislature."

Fadnavis hits back at MVA

Deputy CM Fadnavis slammed the Opposition for boycotting the meeting. Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, alleged that the MVA skipped the meeting so that the state continues to "burn" and they take political advantage of the issue. 

"They (MVA leaders) don't have the time to speak on the issue of Maratha reservation but have time to discuss poll preparations (for July 12 legislative council polls). This shows no community is important to the opposition and what matters to it is elections and power," Fadnavis said.