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Reservations in three months’ time, says Pune guardian minister Girish Bapat
During a meeting with the protestors, Bapat accused opposition leaders of the state of politicising the issue of Maratha reservations.
Maratha outfits in the city held protests outside the houses of politicians on Thursday, including BJP’s Girish Bapat, district guardian minister; Vandana Chavan, Rajya Sabha member of Parliament; and Dilip Kamble, state social justice minister.
Twenty-five persons gathered at Bapat’s residence, shouting slogans that demanded reservation. During a meeting with the protestors, Bapat accused opposition leaders of the state of politicising the issue of Maratha reservations.
He said, “The state government is committed to giving reservations to the Maratha community of the state. However, we are compelled to follow a legal process while giving reservations to the community, which will take three months’ time.
“It cannot be done in two days. However, the opposition is behaving oblivious to these legal aspects and is instead expecting us to overstep the legal course of actions which is not possible.”
He added, “The state government has accepted the demand of calling a special assembly session for the discussion of the issue and will eventually give reservations to the community.”
Tushar Kakde, state convenor of the Maratha Kranti Morcha, said, “When we organise a protest, the state government as well as elected representatives come forward and support our demands with assurances of giving reservations. However, when it comes to speaking in the assembly, they consistently trivialise this issue.”
While protestors also marched to the homes of Vandana Chavan and BJP MLA Dilip Kamble, neither of the leaders met with protestors.
The Maratha Kranti Morcha has stated that it will stage protests in front of the residences of all the members of state assembly and parliaments till August 9.
