MUMBAI: Maharashtra Assembly on Thursday unanimously granted 16 per cent reservation in government jobs and education in the state to the politically influential Maratha community.
With this, the total caste quota in the state has moved up from the existing 52 per cent to 68 per cent, while around 85 per cent of the state’s population will now be able to enjoy the benefits of reservation.
The community had resorted to statewide agitation for quota over the last two years. After 58 mammoth rallies in the initial stage, the agitation had turned fierce earlier this year when as many as 40 youths lost lives, demanding quota. Earlier two attempts to grant quota to the Maratha community had been struck down by the courts. Fadnavis had assured the community that the quota would stand judicial scrutiny.
Both houses of the legislature on Thursday cleared the Bill to grant quota to the community minutes after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis tabled it.
The bill is called Maharashtra State Reservation (of seats for admission in education institutions in the state and for appointments in public services and posts under the state) for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Act, 2018.
“Maharashtra stands united, irrespective of political leanings, to resolve social issues,” Fadnavis said, thanking the opposition for passing the Bill unanimously. Prior to tabling the bill, Fadnavis tabled the Action Taken Report (ATR) on Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission’s (MSBCC) recommendations for reservation to the Maratha community in government jobs and education.
Sporting saffron turbans, BJP and Sena members entered the House as the Bill was tabled and raised slogans as it was cleared. Seeming to appropriate political credit for the passing of the Bill, BJP supporters celebrated the development at each of their district and other offices, while Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray visited Azad Maidan where members of Maratha community had resorted to hunger strike demanding withdrawal of cases filed against them during agitation a couple of months ago.
NCP leader Ajit Pawar congratulated the government for the legislation but, criticised the celebration.
BJP, Sena patch up
The BJP appears to have been successful in wooing the Shiv Sena back after a brief spell of acrimony. Members of both the parties wore saffron turbans and shouted slogans in unison as the Maratha quota Bill was presented in the legislature on Thursday. Sena will have two of its members as deputy chairperson and deputy speaker of the upper and lower House on Friday.