State, Centre should sit together, find solution on Maratha quota: BJP MP

Talking to reporters here, he said both the previous BJP government and the present MVA government had put forth the case for Maratha quota strongly before the court, and appealed people to maintain calm.

BJP MP Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati said on Wednesday that the Maharashtra government and Centre should decide the way forward after the Supreme Court earlier in the day declared reservation for the Maratha community in the state as unconstitutional.

The present state government also put forth its side in the court aggressively," Sambhajiraje said. (HT FILE)

Talking to reporters here, he said both the previous BJP government and the present MVA government had put forth the case for Maratha quota strongly before the court, and appealed people to maintain calm. "The previous BJP-led government enacted the law and the High Court also validated it. The present state government also put forth its side in the court aggressively," Sambhajiraje said.

"But despite all these efforts, the SC gave this verdict, which is unfortunate for the Maratha community but we have to accept and respect it," he said. The BJP MP, however, asked how other states could violate the 50 per cent cap on reservation.

"The state and the Centre should decide the way forward over the issue. All the experts should sit together and study why other states can get quota (over 50 per cent) and not Maharashtra," he said. The state government should immediately offer increased seats to the Maratha community in educational institutes for which it would not need the court's permission, he said.