Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar on Saturday said the state government will provide reservation to the Maratha community in a manner that will stand the legal test. ''The state government is committed to ensuring reservation for the Maratha community in a way that it will stand the legal test," said Pawar after visiting the Bhidewada, Mahatma Phule Wada and the land where Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule memorial will come up. Pawar said while giving reservation to the Maratha community, the government will ensure that the reservation quota of other communities is not impacted. ''When Congress-NCP government ruled the state, then Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan had granted reservation to Maratha community, which did not stand legal scrutiny of the court. Then, CM Devendra Fadnavis gave reservation to the community, which was upheld in the Bombay High Court but not in the Supreme Court. That's why we are taking steps to ensure this time, the reservation for the community is upheld in court..,'' he said. In view of the space crunch at Bhidewada, the deputy CM said the government will discuss the issue with experts and then prepare a development plan for the memorial.
