Maratha outfits reject CM’s televised promise, demand written assurance

Want written assurance, time-bound plan; CM Fadnavis apprises Modi on steps taken to resolve issue

Ahead of the August 9 protests by Maratha groups, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi to update him on the ongoing reservation row and decisions taken by the state to resolve the issue.

CM Devendra Fadnavis with PM Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday.

Fadnavis’ meeting with Modi, a day after the CM, through a direct televised address to citizens, promised to complete the Constitutional obligations to grant 16% reservation to the community, went on for one-and-a-half hours. He also announced a stay on the mega recruitment drive for 72,000 government jobs, as demanded by the Maratha outfits.

The CM also attended a meeting of all party MPs from the state, chaired by BJP president Amit Shah, to discuss state-related issues, including Maratha reservation.

The CM tweeted: “Called on PM Narendra Modiji this evening to appraise him on the various issues of Maharashtra.”

Despite the CM’s efforts, the Maratha outfits said the agitation can be withdrawn only if the state gives them a written assurance of a time-bound plan. “The CM’s announcement is not new. He has not given any timeframe to fulfil our demands. Nobody knows when the State Backward Class Commission will submit its report. Our ongoing sit-in protests will continue. We will hold state-wide agitation on August 9,” said Nanasaheb Kute-Patil, state coordinator, Maratha Kranti Morcha, from Mumbai.

Sanjiv Bhor Patil, coordinator from Ahmednagar district, said, “We will withdraw the agitation only if we get a written assurance.”

Complicating the matters for the Fadnavis-led government, the State Backward Class Commission on Monday told the state they would be able to submit a final report on Maratha reservation only by November 15, according to a senior official from the state. “The status report will now be submitted before the Bombay high court during the hearing on the reservation on August 7,” the official said. “It means the state will not be able to decide on reservation till December 15, as it will need at least a month to complete formalities.”

The commission, in its report, will have to give the present socio-economic status of the community based on which the decision on reservation will be taken. Unless social backwardness is proven, the reservation won’t withstand legal scrutiny.

The CM’s stay on the recruitment drive has left other communities angry. Chandrakant Bavkar, president, OBC Sangharsh Samanvay Samiti, said, “Staying the process means making hundreds of educated youths, OBCs as well as others, ineligible for the job owing to the age restrictions,” he said.

State Congress chief Ashok Chavan said, The government should ensure youths get an opportunity when the recruitment drive is held.”

.