Behaviour of protesters wrong, admin must follow HC directions: CM Devendra Fadnavis

The Chief Minister said few among the protesters treated journalists badly. “Women journalists being molested is condemnable. We have witnessed over 30 disciplined Maratha morchas in the past but the treatment of journalists is improper and needs to be condemned by everyone,” he said.

Fadnavis said few incidents that took place during previous Maratha morchas were not good. “It raises concern to what low level the culture of the state is going. We are insulting the culture set by Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The High Court took cognisance of this behaviour and gave strict directions which we have to implement accordingly,” he said.

At a high-level meeting on Maratha reservation headed by him, Fadnavis said that they discussed all legal options for a solution to provide reservation for the Maratha community. We discussed what can be solutions that can stand in court. However, more information has been sought and discussion will be held again. We are working on a legal solution.”

Fadnavis said that the NCP(SP) chief was the latter’s own opinion, but the Supreme Court had clarified that it was a state matter and not that of the union government and was being worked on.

On Monday, Sharad Pawar had said, “The amendment to the Constitution would pave the way for finding a permanent solution to the Maratha reservation issue. The Centre should take the initiative for this to resolve the issue,” Pawar said in Ahmednagar.”

“Tamil Nadu has exceeded the 50 per cent limit by giving 72 per cent quota in the state. It has been upheld by the apex court. If Tamil Nadu can do it, why not Maharashtra,” he asked. “If you want overall progress of the society, there is no alternative to giving reservation. And to address it, Constitutional amendment becomes necessary,” he added.

On Monday, Fadnavis said it was his request to NCP(SP) working president Supriya Sule and others to avoid benefitting politically from such social issues as it would be a loss to them. “Sule should ask herself why the Maratha reservation issue became so grave and who came up with solutions in the past. When her party was in power, it didn’t take any decision in favour of the Maratha community,” Fadnavis said.

“The state government is not stubborn. We work to get effective solutions on the issue,” he said.