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Udayanraje extends support to Sambhajiraje on Maratha reservation
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s descendants Udayanraje Bhosale and Sambhajiraje Bhosale on Monday came together and expressed strong support for Maratha reservation in Pune
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s descendants Udayanraje Bhosale and Sambhajiraje Bhosale on Monday came together and expressed strong support for Maratha reservation in Pune.
Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje has taken the lead this time and planned to carry out the Maratha Kranti Morcha (MKM) protests in each district from June 16, 2021.
The first morcha will begin from Kolhapur. On Monday, Sambhajiraje met Udayanraje Bhosale in Pune. After the meeting both Sambhajiraje and Udyanraje addressed the press.
Udayanraje Bhosale said, “I am with Sambhajiraje and have extended my full support to his efforts in getting reservation for the Marathas. We have only one demand and that is reservation for Marathas.”
Udayanraje Bhosale dared politicians from all parties to hold a special assembly session on the issue of Maratha reservation as soon as possible.
He said, “Maharashtra government should call a special session on the Maratha reservation. This session should be broadcasted live, and people should know who is speaking what. I don’t believe in the courts for getting reservation for the Marathas. The citizens must ask questions to all elected members. They need to raise questions with all MLAs irrespective of which political party they belong to.”
Udayanraje Bhosale assured that if the state government clears all hurdles that exist currently, he will raise the issues with the Centre.
“This issue is above party politics, I appeal to all leaders, including those of the BJP to solve the issue of Maratha reservation. I appeal to the media that you shouldn’t make this about party politics, people and Maratha youth are very angry and restless,” he said.
In the previous Maratha Kranti Morcha (MKM) protests, Udayanraje had taken charge and was aggressively seen leading silent protests. This time, Sambhajiraje of Kolhapur has taken the charge. Sambhajiraje recently visited Kopardi village in Ahmednagar district and later on Monday held a meeting with Udayanraje in Pune.
“We are from the same family, there are no two families. There may be different paths, but our aim is the same, and that is reservation for Marathas,” Udayanraje Bhosale said.
Sambhajiraje Bhosale said, “We have a very good meeting and there is no difference between us on any demand. We have the same view.”
The Supreme Court on May 5, 2021, struck down the Maharashtra law that held the Maratha community as socially and economically backward, thereby ending the Maratha reservation in public education and employment. In doing so, the Supreme Court also quashed the Maratha reservation in so far it breaches the 50% ceiling of reservation. The top court, while nixing the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Act, 2018, said that it violates equality as under Article 14 of the Constitution.
The five-judge Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan, L Nageswara Rao, S Abdul Nazeer, Hemant Gupta, and Ravindra Bhat, pronounced the verdict on May 5, 2021.
