Seeking the restoration of 12% quota in education and 13% quota in government jobs, which was struck down by the Supreme Court on May 5, the Maratha community has planned to launch a state-wide morcha from Beed in the Marathwada region on June 5. Shiv Sangram founder and legislator Vinayak Mete, on Sunday, said that the morcha will be held though the police won’t allow it. He chaired a meeting today to chalk out the preparations for the proposed morcha.
Mete, who is Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) ally in Maharashtra, has been at the forefront to criticise the Maha Vikas Aghadi government on the Maratha reservation issue since the SC had granted an interim stay in September last year and also after the quota was scrapped. BJP has already extended its support to the agitation for the restoration of the reservation. Mete said the proposed morcha will be to express the anger and outrage of the community.
"On June 5, at 10:30 am, the morcha will start from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Sports Complex in Beed to the District Collector's Office. The agitation will be titled Maratha Kranti Sangharsh Morcha, Ladha Arakshanacha,” said Mete. He added that the morcha is to put pressure on the government and press for the restoration of the quota.
Mete’s announcement came days after the cabinet sub committee headed by Public Works Minister Ashok Chavan met on May 18 and announced that the chief secretary was reviewing the recruitment process department-wise, which was stalled due to the SC order. A final decision on this recruitment will then be taken.
Besides, a committee of legal experts headed by former Chief Justice Dilip Bhosale has started working to study the SC's order on Maratha reservation and make recommendations about further legal options. His report will be received before May 31. The state government will, thereafter, take a call on filing a review petition and exploring other options, said Chavan.
