The Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly Haribhau Bagde will meet leaders of all parties on Tuesday to find a solution to break the logjam over State Backward Class Commission report on Maratha reservation which continued to affect the proceedings of the House.
Parliamentary Affairs minister Girish Bapat said the decision on the meeting was taken after the House was once again adjourned for the day on Monday, making it the fourth day. The House has not worked for a single day in the current session.
Opposition parties on Monday reiterated that they will not relent till the State government tabled the commission report on Maratha reservation and the TISS report on Dhangar reservation. “Why is the government running away from a discussion on this report? Is there anything that it wants to hide? Both reports should be tabled for discussion,” said leader of opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, while moving the adjournment motion.
NCP leader Ajit Pawar said, “How can anyone go to court against the report? Avoiding a discussion shows that the government is hiding something.”
Earlier in the day, the cabinet sub-committee on the Maratha reservation Bill held its first meeting. Sources said, the government is unlikely to table any of the two reports, but a Bill extending reservation to Marathas will be introduced on November 28 or 29. “We will be meeting tomorrow and know what the government is proposing. However, we will not accept Maratha reservation if it is less than 16%, which was granted by our government,” said Mr. Vikhe-Patil.
The Assembly was adjourned four times on Monday as opposition continued to press for their demand of tabling the reports. Parliamentary Affairs minister Girish Bapat asked the opposition to come for the meeting to solve the problem. The opposition was enraged after the government cleared supplementary demands for three department without discussion. The House was later adjourned for the day.
