To counter the Opposition’s charge of shoddy implementation of demonetisation, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena coalition has decided to use the Maratha reservation issue to corner the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in the ongoing winter session of the State Legislature.
As Nagpur gets ready to witness possibly one of the biggest Maratha rallies ever held in the State on December 14, the ruling parties appear to have decided to make good use of the opportunity to corner the Maratha vote bank ahead of the forthcoming Zilla Parishad and Municipal Corporation elections.
In the Assembly, BJP MLA Ashish Shelar, Dr. Sanjay Kute, among others, along with the Shiv Sena’s Sunil Prabhu, Shambhuraj Desai and others have moved a resolution demanding reservation for the Maratha community. In the Council, the BJP’s Pravin Darekar, Sujitsinh Thakur and the Sena’s Dr. Neelam Gorhe, Shivsangram’s Vinayaka Mete, along with others, moved a similar resolution.
According to sources in the ruling coalition, the move has ensured that the Opposition does not get to take the credit of highlighting the issue in the Legislature. “If the Opposition continues to disrupt proceedings on the demonetisation issue, we can always claim that the government was ready to discuss and pass the resolution supporting Maratha reservation,” said a BJP MLA on condition of anonymity.
The resolution was to be discussed on Tuesday. However, with adjournment of both Houses, following a condolence resolution over the death of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha, it is likely to come up for debate either on Wednesday or in the coming week.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Vinod Tawde on Tuesday said the government has filed a 2,500-page affidavit in the Bombay High Court, presenting evidence to prove the Maratha community is socially, educationally and economically backward.
Government pleader Abhinandan Vagyani submitted the affidavit, that says 82 per cent of the people from the community are socially and financially backward. It therefore seeks reservation in government jobs and educational institutions for the community.
The affidavit points out that the Marathas are mostly sugarcane cutters, migrant labourers, head loaders and maid servants. Mr. Vagyani said most of the farmers who committed suicide in Maharashtra over the past few years belonged to this community. The Supreme Court has said that reservation can exceed 50 per cent in exceptional circumstances, he added.
The affidavit relies on several documents and records, speeches made by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, references about the community in devotional and folk songs and religious texts by saint-poets such as Sant Tukaram, Bahinabai and Samarth Ramdas. It names Shahu Maharaj, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Ambedkar in support of the claim that the Maratha community is underprivileged and backward.
A division bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice M S Sonak will hear public interest litigations opposing the Congress-NCP government’s decision to grant 16 per cent reservation to Marathas as well as some petitions in favour of it, on December 7.
“This affidavit will strongly present the government’s side supporting reservation for Marathas. We are sure we will win this judicial battle,” Mr. Vagyani said.
