Chief Minister misleading Marathas on reservation issues, says Gopaldada Tiwari of the Maharashtra Congress

Pune: THE Maharashtra unt of the Congress has criticised the Shinde-Fadnavis Government, saying it refused to allow discussion on Maratha reservation in the state legislature as it had no intention of taking opposition into confidence.

”In view of the ensuing elections, the three-party Shinde Government is refusing to hold comprehensive discussion on Maratha reservation in the state legislature. It wants to buy time. It is refusing to take the opposition into confidence. The government does not seem to have any intention to hold a discussion and has been evasive on the issue…The Chief Minster’s clarification was misleading,” said Gopaldada Tiwari, Congress spokesperson, at a press conference in the city yesterday.

The Congress said the Government refusing to clarify on the ”court objections” regarding Maratha reservation. ”When the Supreme Court had rejected the Maratha reservation, it had given reasons behind it. The state government should clarify how it has prepared the new law so that it stands judicial scrutiny. But it seems the government has some other plans on its mind which it does not want to reveal,” Mr Tiwari said.

Mr Tiwari said,”There is a ceiling of 50 per cent reservation…And as the per, the 102nd constitutional amendment, the Modi Sarkar has taken away the rights of the state government to give reservation. There is need to hold thorough debate on these points. This is because last time when the Fadnavis government had unanimously passed a resolution for giving resolution, the apex court had objected to the resolution itself.”

Mr Tiwari said Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis keeps harping on how the high court had upheld his government decision to grant reservation to Maratha community. ”Mr Fadnavis however fails to reveal that he had fielded some central government lawyers to fight the case in the high court. The lawyers had argued that 102nd constitutional amendment will not prove to be a hurdle in the matter,” Mr Tiwari said.

Mr Tiwari said despite the Supreme Court’s clear directions and observation in the matter, the state government was again trying the same experiment and buying time for itself till the next elections. ”The government should remember that Maharashtra is a state of intellectuals and the people here are aware of the cunning tactics employed by the government,” he said.

Mr Tiwari said the government’s intention about Maratha reservation had become clear when it had ordered police lathi-charge on hapless protestors in Antarwali Saraati on September 1 last year. ”Police lathi-charge and injustice from government then brought several organisations and Maratha communities together. Sensing this, the government appointed a commission like it did in the past and then again passed a resolution for granting reservation to Maratha community on basis of the commission’s report. No political party opposes Maratha reservation. The resolution for granting reservation was approved unanimously. However, there should have been discussions in the state legislature on the objections raised by the Supreme Court when it had rejected the Maratha reservation..The ruling parties deliberately avoided holding discussion on the issue,” Mr Tiwari said.