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Facing the heat of Maratha reservation activists, legislators from across the political spectrum have started extending their support to the quota agitation.
The ruling alliance in the state has been under pressure ever since Maratha activist Manoj Jarange Patil began an indefinite hunger strike on the issue and quota agitators started targeting houses and vehicles belonging to legislators.
In the wake of the agitation, NCP (Ajit Pawar) Vadgaonsheri MLA Sunil Tingre wrote to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde asking the state government to provide reservation to the Maratha community.
“Activist Manoj Jarange Patil has undertaken an indefinite hunger strike in demand of reservation for the Maratha community. The entire Maratha community has come out on the streets across the state. The youth of the community are restless and feel that injustice is being done to them. It is necessary to immediately take a decision on Maratha reservation considering the present situation and feelings of the community. I also personally insist on the same. It is necessary for the government to give reservations that would stand legally,” Tingre said.
Former BJP legislator Jagdish Mulik from Vadgaonsheri assembly constituency has also thrown his weight behind the Maratha quota agitation. Mulik was defeated by Tingre in the 2019 assembly election.
“The Maratha community is agitating across the state. The contribution of the Maratha community in the progress of the state is immense. Their primary source of income is farming but the number of Maratha educated unemployed is also increasing. They are going through a tough time owing to the lack of reservation, so there is a need for reservation for them,” Mulik said.
Another NCP legislator Chetan Tupe from Hadapsar has urged the chief minister to call a special assembly session to take a decision in favour of Maratha reservation. “I support the demand for reservation to the Maratha community. The community is insisting on fulfilling the long-pending demand, so it is necessary to approve a resolution in the assembly for it,” he said in a letter to the chief minister.
Meanwhile, Opposition legislators along with NCP Ajit Pawar faction leaders staged a protest outside the Mantralaya in Mumbai in favour of the Maratha quota demand. Opposition leaders also staged a similar protest outside the Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai. They submitted a memorandum to Speaker Rahul Narwekar seeking a special assembly session on the Maratha reservation issue. “There is a need to have a detailed discussion on the demand for Maratha reservation in the state assembly. Thus, a special session should be called for it,” said NCP legislator Rohit Pawar.
