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Rollback of 33% quota in promotions could lead to stir: Maharashtra minister
The trouble for the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) could mount further with state energy minister Nitin Raut from the Congress party warning of an agitation for the rollback of the state’s decision to scrap 33% reservation in promotions for those employed through quotas in the Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (SC), Nomadic Tribe (NT) and Special Backward Class categories
The trouble for the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) could mount further with state energy minister Nitin Raut from the Congress party warning of an agitation for the rollback of the state’s decision to scrap 33% reservation in promotions for those employed through quotas in the Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (SC), Nomadic Tribe (NT) and Special Backward Class categories.
Earlier this week, Raut – who heads the ST cell of the Congress – met chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray to express his objections over the scrapping of the promotions. On Friday, Raut warned of a state-wide agitation to put pressure on the government to withdraw the decision. Raut could also have the backing of two of his cabinet colleagues from Congress, tribal development minister KC Padvi and education minister Varsha Gaikwad, over the issue.
The state had on May 7 issued a government resolution (GR) scrapping the promotions—a decision that could lead to tension in the wake of the Supreme Court’s judgment to scrap the Maratha reservation in education and government jobs. Though it is being alleged by community members that the decision to scrap the promotion was a move to pacify the Maratha community, state government officials said it was based on a decision by the Bombay high court.
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party-backed legislator and Shiv Sangram party leader Vinayak Mete on Saturday announced that a section of the Maratha community will hold an agitation in Beed on June 5. His outfit had planned an agitation against the government’s alleged failure to secure the Maratha quota in the Supreme Court on May 16, but had to postpone it after the state extended the lockdown restrictions to contain Covid-19 till June 1. Mete claimed that the extension was the state government’s tactic to curb the protests by the community. He claimed that his outfit will stage the agitation even if the government extends lockdown beyond June 1.
