Maharashtra govt accuses Cong, NCP of playing politics over Muslim quota

The Maharashtra legislative council on Tuesday witnessed uproar as the government blamed the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) of playing politics over the issue of reservation for Muslims in education.

The Maharashtra legislative council on Tuesday witnessed uproar as the government blamed the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) of playing politics over the issue of reservation for Muslims in education.

During the Question Hour, Leader of Opposition Dhananjay Munde alleged that the government had deliberately allowed the Ordinance providing reservation to get lapsed.

Replying to Munde's charge, minorities development minister Eknath Khadse said the Opposition was playing politics over the issue and that the government was committed to work out a solution for providing reservation to Muslims.

"We will definitely provide reservation to Muslims and we are working on it. You sat on it for 50 years and now you can continue playing politics over it. Even Muslims know that you have done injustice to them despite they have been voting you to power since so many times," Khadse said.

The Opposition members tried to disrupt Khadse from speaking over the issue, but the minister continued with his reply.

Subsequently, on November 14 last year, the Bombay high court had stayed implementation of the erstwhile Congress-NCP government's decision to provide 16% reservations for Marathas in jobs and education.

The court had also stayed the decision to provide 5% reservation to Muslims in government jobs, but allowed quota for the minority community in educational institutions.