Maratha and OBC quota: As ruling side seeks answers from Opposition, both houses adjourned amid din

The ruling party members entered into the well and shouted slogans demanding that the Opposition should clarify its stand. After the Question Hour, BJP legislator Amit Satam said that the all-party meeting was convened on Tuesday to discuss the Maratha-OBC reservation issue, especially amid the ongoing protests from both the communities. “The Opposition is busy doing politics. If pro-Maratha activists are demanding quota from OBC, what is their fault? The Opposition should make their stand clear instead of doing politics with an eye on election,” he said. Later Satam also demanded an SIT to probe the role of MLAs in allegedly orchestrating caste strife in Maharashtra.

BJP legislator Ashish Shelar questioned the Opposition for announcing at the last minute their decision to skip the all-party meeting. “On whose call and SMS, the Opposition decided not to attend the meeting, it should be known. The Opposition should speak up and clear its stand on the floor of the house,” he demanded. As Shelar was speaking, the treasury bench members started shouting slogans and some of them entered the well.

After successive adjournments by Speaker Rahul Narwekar, Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar tried in vain to speak but decided not to do so amid slogan-shouting.

BJP legislator Sanjay Kute demanded that the opposition parties especially the Congress, NCP SP and Shiv Sena UBT should make their stand on the Maratha-OBC reservation issue. He alleged that the Opposition was responsible for dividing the communities and disturbing the social harmony and peace. “The Opposition should clarify whether they are in favour of a separate reservation to the Maratha community or from the OBC quota. The opposition is involved in double speak,” he claimed. Excise minister Shambhuraj Desai accused the Opposition of attempting to disrupt peace in the state through the Maratha-OBC reservation dispute.

As the house continued to face ruckus, the ruling side passed several bills and supplementary demands amid chaos.

Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar talked to media outside the assembly after the ruling side continued to make speeches demanding answers from the Opposition. Wadettiwar said that the ruling alliance has created a mess of reservation issues. “If the ruling side wants the Opposition to answer on issues then it should resign and quit the government to allow the Opposition to solve the matter,” he said. At a time when the legislative session is in progress, it would have been appropriate to hold a discussion inside the house, he added.

Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said the state government itself has contrasting views on the issue of reservation. “BJP is a ruling party in the state and at the Centre. If it wanted to give reservation to Marathas, it could have given it much earlier,” said Patole.

Social activist Manoj Jarange-Patil has been demanding Kunbi (OBC) status to Marathas while the OBC organisations are opposing it saying it will reduce their existing share of reservation. The state government has already extended 10 per cent reservation to Marathas under the Socially and Educationally Backward Class category, which has been challenged in the court. During Lok Sabha polls, Jarange-Patil had reportedly given a call to defeat the candidates from the ruling side which has failed to recognise them as OBCs. In a bid to avoid the repeat of it in the upcoming assembly polls, the ruling side is now trying to corner the Opposition on the issue.

While raising the issue in the legislative council, BJP MLC Pravin Darekar said that Sharad Pawar-led NCP, Congress and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena deliberately did not attend the all-party meeting convened by Chief minister Eknath Shinde and alleged that absence of the leaders from the Opposition shows that they wish to keep the issue of castes burning for their political benefit.

The ruling and Opposition came face-to-face over the issue and there was a ruckus over it. Deputy Chairperson of the upper house, Nilam Gorhe, then had to adjourn the house proceedings for the day.

“Sharad Pawar had advised that the government should take the initiative and find a way regarding reservation and end the caste rift that has arisen. Uddhav Thackeray advocates that Maratha reservation and OBC issues should be resolved. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had hence organised a meeting of all party leaders at Sahyadri guest house on Tuesday, taking the initiative to make the atmosphere in Maharashtra peaceful. However, Opposition leader Sharad Pawar, Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray and Congress leaders deliberately did not attend the meeting. Their absence showed that the Opposition wants the issue to continue burning and communal conflict should continue in Maharashtra so that they will gain political benefit. Such a despicable thought is in the minds of the leaders of MVA, he said.

He further said, “Prakash Ambedkar said in the meeting that the exact role of Opposition parties should be asked in written form, let their true form come before the people of Maharashtra. After that, the Chief Minister decided to ask for a written stand of all these parties. So today we raised this issue in the Legislative Council. Why were Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray absent in the meeting? Why did the Congress leaders not come? Does this mean that they want this atmosphere to continue burning for their own political benefit?” he asked.