The Supreme Court recently struck down the Maharashtra law granting quota to the Maratha community in admissions and government jobs, by terming it as "unconstitutional", and held that there were no exceptional circumstances to breach the 50 per cent reservation cap set by the 1992 Mandal verdict.
The verdict has created unrest among the community members and launched a new spree of attacks and counterattacks between the ruling and opposition parties in Maharashtra.
In this battle for the reservation for the community, Sambhaji Chhatrapati, a BJP leader, who is a descendant of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, has been visiting parts of the state to discuss with locals from the community regarding the future course of action.
Sambhaji Chhatrapati on Friday warned that if the Maharashtra government does not accept his demands concerning the Maratha community by June 6, he would launch an agitation regardless of the coronavirus-induced restrictions.
Speaking to reporters, the descendant of Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj said he submitted a list of his demands to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday.
His warning comes over three weeks after the Supreme Court struck down the Maharashtra law granting quota to the Maratha community in admissions and government jobs.
The parliamentarian had on Thursday met NCP chief Sharad Pawar to discuss the Maratha reservation issue and urged him to take an initiative in the matter. Yesterday, he also met Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi chief Prakash Ambedkar here to discuss the Maratha quota issue.
Here's all you need to know about Sambhaji Chhatrapati
Social activist Sambhaji Raje Chhatrapati, a descendant of Maratha King Chhatrapati Shivaji, was nominated to Rajya Sabha by BJP in 2016.
Sambhaji Raje is from the direct lineage of Chhatrapati Shivaji and Rajarshi Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj of Kolhapur who had funded the movement led by Dalit icon BR Ambedkar for justice to the depressed classes for some time.
He is involved in ensuring harmony among various social groups in Maharashtra and in efforts for the restoration of forts in the state.
(With inputs from PTI)
