From Parliament special session to resignation by Union ministers from Maharashtra: Uddhav Thackeray seeks resolution of Maratha quota issue

“If the Chief Minister decides to resolve the issue of the Maratha reservation by holding a special session, we are with him. It will be fine if you don’t discuss it with us but solve the reservation issue,” Uddhav told reporters.

“Also, force the Prime Minister to take a decision on the Maratha reservation by calling a special session of Parliament in Delhi. All Union Ministers of BJP in Maharashtra in the Central Government Cabinet should demand that Modi put aside all issues in this meeting and resolve the issue of Maratha reservation first,” he added.

The former chief minister said Union ministers should speak openly about the Maratha reservation issue whenever there is a Cabinet meeting. He also said all ministers from Maharashtra should resign, instead of only a couple of MLAs and MPs quitting their posts, after apprising the PM about the current situation in the state.

“If the PM didn’t act despite ministers tendering their resignations then all the 48 MPs of Maharashtra should quit for the people of Maharashtra. Show that we all are together in this and we wish to resolve the issue of all the communities. Be it Marathas, OBCs, Dhangar or others,” he added.

Two Eknath Shinde-led Sena MPs Hemant Patil and Hemant Godse have announced their resignation as MPs in support of the Maratha reservation.

Sena MLA Ramesh Bornare (Vaijapur assembly constituency), Congress MLA Ramesh Varpudkar (Pathari constituency) and BJP MLA Laxman Pawar (Gevrai constituency) have already tendered their resignation over the Maratha quota issue.

He also took potshots at Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over his absence during Monday’s meeting of the cabinet sub-committee for Maratha reservation.

“A meeting was held yesterday by the Chief Minister… However, both the deputy chief ministers were not present at the meeting. While one deputy chief minister is said to be unwell because he has been diagnosed with dengue, another went to Raipur in Chattisgarh for the BJP’s campaigning”.

“So this means when the people of Maharashtra are on the streets and you are campaigning in other states for the BJP that is more important to you than the ongoing situation in the state. Can such people (Fadnavis and the government) give anything to society?”

As he appealed to all members of the Maratha community not to indulge in violence and not to take extreme steps like suicide, Uddhav said when he met activist Manoj Jarange Patil last month he made the same request to him.

“Warriors like him are needed by the state and society… There is no doubt that the Maratha community should get their rights,” Uddhav said.