Mumbai: Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar urged Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje to hold dialogue with the state government instead of launching an agitation from June 16 to press for the restoration of Maratha quota. Pawar, however, announced the Maha Vikas Aghadi government’s support to Sambhajiraje’s agitation.
‘’Our government will support this movement. All the guardian ministers, ministers and MLAs will be present at the agitation site in Kolhapur tomorrow,’’ he noted.
Pawar’s statement came when Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje announced to go ahead with his decision to launch a state-wide agitation from Kolhapur from Wednesday demanding reservation for the Maratha community.
Sambhajiraje on Tuesday held a meeting with his supporters to review preparations for the agitation. He said the state government has two options to get the quota for the community.
"First, go for a review petition and if the review petition is struck down, then go for a curative petition. However, as per the suggestions of the Bhosale committee, there is no need for a curative petition," he said.
A committee headed by former Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court Dilip Bhosale, set up by the state government, studied the SC ruling and suggested filing a review petition. Sambhajiraje said another option left is to constitute a new commission and prove that the Maratha community is socially and economically backward.
"After that take the issue with the governor and the governor will take it up with the President of India. The President will send it to the central backward commission and also ask it to present the issue in Parliament," he said.
