Delay in hearing, Maratha organisations say govt not interested in solving quota issue

Various organisations, cutting across political affiliations, demanded that reservation under Socially and Educationally Backward Class (SEBC) category be restored and no recruitment in government jobs be allowed till it’s done.

The Maratha Kranti Morcha (MKM) demanded that the government should give the highest priority to the case. “The Supreme Court’s interim order staying the reservation should be lifted. Until then, the government should not start recruitment in any state department,” an MKM leader said.

Accusing the government of delaying the verdict on Maratha reservation, Shiv Sangram president Vinayak Mete said: “It is clear the state government is not interested in resolving the case. It is delaying and creating confusion.”

BJP MLA Shivendra Raje Bhosale warned: “The state government cannot jeopardise the careers and educational prospects of thousands of eligible students… It cannot be so complacent on serious matters. This is not acceptable.”

On September 9, 2020, the SC had stayed Maratha reservation and recommended that the matter be referred to a larger bench for the final verdict.

Following this, the government had set up a Cabinet sub-committee, headed by PWD Minister Ashok Chavan, to pursue the matter in SC.

Also, the state Cabinet had decided to accommodate Maratha candidates eligible under SEBC category in the EWS category. However, Maratha organisations had rejected this.

Akhil Bharatiya Maratha Mahasangh general secretary Rajendra Kondhare said: “There are 4,500 candidates who had qualified Maharashtra Public Services Commission (MPSC) examination in 2020. But due to Covid-19 pandemic, the recruitment process was curtailed. It was then followed by the SC staying Maratha reservation. Now, what will be the fate of these candidates? Also, to make matters worse, the MPSC has filed a plea in court saying that all selections under SEBC category stands rejected.”