Social activist Manoj Jarange, who is demanding reservation for the Maratha community in Maharashtra, on Tuesday gave a new ultimatum to the Eknath Shinde government of Maharashtra and said that the Maratha community will not wait till February.
Jarange said that if the Shinde government does not implement reservation before the December 24 deadline, protests will be started again.
Earlier, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said in the Assembly on Tuesday itself that after reviewing the report of the State Backward Classes Commission, if there is a need to give reservation to the Maratha community, a special session of the State Legislature will be organized in February next year.
CM Shinde also said that instructions will be given to issue Kunbi (Other Backward Class) caste certificates to the next of kin of those persons who already have such documents.
Meanwhile, Manoj Jarange remained firm on the December 24 deadline given to the Maharashtra government and said that he would protest if reservation is not given before this deadline.
“We will not wait till February for reservation,” Jarange said at Antarwali Sarathi village in Jalna district, the zero ground of the movement.
If the state government does not clarify its stand on making the law (for reservation) and does not issue orders to the district magistrates to issue Kunbi (OBC) certificates to all people of Maratha community, then we will start protests from December 24. He said that the plan regarding protests will be announced during a meeting in Beed on December 23.
While discussing the reservation issue, Shinde said that after reviewing the report of the State Backward Classes Commission, a special session of the state legislature will be held in February next year if there is a need to give reservation to the Maratha community.
They were informed about the steps taken so far by the government in this direction but the opposition MLAs said that this assurance was not enough and they walked out of the House.
Shinde said, “Justice Shinde’s committee formed for reservation of Maratha community has submitted a report to the state government. The report of Maharashtra Backward Classes Commission will be presented in a month.
After reviewing it, if necessary, we will hold a special session of the Legislature in February to give reservation to the Maratha community.”
“The state government will prove that the Maratha community is socially and educationally backward and (therefore) deserves reservation in government jobs and admissions in educational institutions,” he said.
The opposition expressed disappointment over Shinde’s reply and walked out of the House in protest. Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders said the reply was mere lip service and Shinde did not give any concrete assurance or take any concrete stand, which was expected ahead of December 24.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar, senior Congress leaders Prithviraj Chavan, Ashok Chavan and Balasaheb Thorat, Shiv Sena (UBT) Sunil Prabhu and other leaders later spoke to the media at the Vidhan Bhavan complex.
Wadettiwar said the chief minister’s reply is misleading and does not contain any concrete promises, nor has the government given any time frame to resolve the issue.
Wadettiwar claimed that the government wants to postpone the issue till the elections are announced and then it will make the excuse of Model Code of Conduct. Congress leader Ashok Chavan also claimed that the government wants to postpone the issue till the Model Code of Conduct is implemented.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-Sharad Pawar faction) leader Jayant Patil said the Chief Minister did not respond to serious issues raised by the opposition and he failed to take a decision before December 24. He said that the talk of special session was a sham.