Maratha leader ends indefinite fast

The MP, who is a descendant of Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was on a fast unto death protest at Azad Maidan in Mumbai from Saturday

Mumbai Rajya Sabha MP and Maratha leader Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati ended his indefinite fast on Monday after the state government assured him to comply with his demands for the Maratha community in a ‘timebound manner’.

On Monday, CM Uddhav Thackeray chaired a meeting with deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and other senior ministers to deliberate on the demands (HT PHOTO)

The state government has assured to create supernumerary posts to accommodate the Maratha youth, who were qualified for the jobs before the reservation was stayed, the additional allocation for SARTHI (Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Research, Training and Human Development Institute) and Annasaheb Patil Financial Development Corporations (APFDC), construction of hostels for Maratha students in all districts among others.

The MP, who is a descendant of Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was on a fast unto death protest at Azad Maidan in Mumbai from Saturday. Various Maratha outfits had supported him in his agitation. The state government had issued an order to appoint a Maharashtra State Backward Classes Commission on Friday for compiling empirical data for the reservation to Marathas. Home minister Dilip Walse Patil met the MP on Sunday to request him to end the fast. On Monday, CM Uddhav Thackeray chaired a meeting with deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and other senior ministers to deliberate on the demands. The state government handed over the minutes of the meeting to the MP at Azad Maidan, on which the Maratha leader conceded to end the fast. Besides Walse, urban development minister Eknath Shinde, medical education minister Amit Deshmukh were on the delegation which met Sambhajiraje.

The state government assured the community with additional ₹100 crore, in addition to ₹100 crore already sanctioned for APFDC, land for eight sub-centers of SARTHI before March 15, policy decision for the repayment of interest on educational loans taken by Maratha students studying abroad, complete the construction of hostels in all the districts before Gudi Padwa on April 2 among others.

Shinde said that the state government has tried to give more than demanded by Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje. “The government was wary about creating supernumerary posts to accommodate the Maratha applicants who completed the recruitment process in government jobs before the reservation was stayed in September 2020 as it could lead to the contempt of the Supreme Court. Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray however decided to go ahead with the decision,” he said after reading out the minutes of the meeting.

Sambhajiraje said that he was satisfied with the assurance given by the state government. “The assurance of creating supernumerary post was unexpected as it has a legal aspect to it. I am thankful to various Maratha outfits and the community for their support in my endeavour for the reservation since 2007,” he said.

The reservation given to Marathas in jobs and education under the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act 2018, was struck down by the Supreme Court in May last year. The five-judge bench of SC had termed the law enacted by the Maharashtra government unconstitutional while quashing it on various grounds including breaching of the 50% cap of reservation. The Maharashtra government has filed a review petition in the apex court.