Shiv Sena leader and state urban development department (UDD) minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday indicated that his party supports the announcement of bringing back 5% reservation for Muslims in educational institutions. On Friday, after minority affairs minister Nawab Malik said the “quota can be implemented and a law to the effect will be brought as soon as possible”, Shinde had said a final decision was yet to be taken.
However, a day later, the Sena leader said the chief minister was in “favour of taking all communities ahead together”. “The high court has allowed 5% Muslim reservation in the state... chief minister Uddhav Thackeray is in favour of taking all communities ahead. For farmers, the chief minister has announced a farm loan waiver of up to Rs2 lakh and we are on course to successfully implement it,” Shinde said.
Sena leaders, who did not wish to be named, said this is not a change in policy as the party had supported the demand during a debate in the Assembly in November 2018. Sena’s chief whip Sunil Prabhu had said they are in favour of reservation for Muslim along with Maratha and Dhangar communities, but it should not affect the existing reservation.
“The MVA government is bound by the common minimum programme (CMP) and it mentions schemes for minorities. We are proceeding as per the written word. The Sena had promised to resolve pending issues of various communities, including Muslims, in its manifesto [for Assembly polls],” said a Sena leader.
{{/usCountry}}“The MVA government is bound by the common minimum programme (CMP) and it mentions schemes for minorities. We are proceeding as per the written word. The Sena had promised to resolve pending issues of various communities, including Muslims, in its manifesto [for Assembly polls],” said a Sena leader.
{{/usCountry}}The CMP, formulated by the three ruling parties — Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress, states that “the government shall adopt various schemes to eliminate the social, educational and economic backwardness of the minority community and implement Constitutional safeguards for its security welfare in letter and spirit”.
Former NCP MLA Prakash Shendge, an OBC leader supporting the Sena, meanwhile, refuted the notion that a quota to Muslims will eat into either Maratha or OBC quota. “If the quota comes in, it would come from the general category and not affect the OBC or Maratha quotas. Such statements are made by Opposition to create a rift between communities. We welcome the state government’s move,” he said.
Political analyst Surendra Jondhale said the move by Sena shows it is being practical. “The issue [Muslim quota] was lingering during the BJP government because the Marathas were pushing strongly for quota. This is political pragmatism of the Shiv Sena to go with a quota for minorities. Besides, Congress and NCP must have pushed for it and convinced the Sena leadership. This would help pacify the Muslims, especially in times like these,” Jondhale said.