On Sunday, the communication cell of Shiv Sena replied to a tweet from the right-wing organisation Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) which said "reservations to Muslims on the basis of religion is alarming".
Earlier, the VHP tweeted: "The news of religious reservation to Muslims by the Maharashtra government is alarming. The politics of Muslim appeasement should not be done by the Shiv Sena-led government. This is the expectation of Hindu society."
Shiv Sena's communication cell quote tweeted VHP's tweet and said, "No such subject is under discussion."
On Friday, Minority Affairs Minister in Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's cabinet, Nawab Malik, had announced that a new bill granting 5 per cent reservation to Muslims in educational institutions will be tabled in the ongoing budget session.
"High Court had given its nod to give 5% reservation to Muslims in government educational institutions. Last govt did not take any action on it. So we have announced that we will implement the HC's order in the form of law as soon as possible," Malik was quoted as saying.
Malik had also added that the government was planning to give Muslims reservation in jobs, for which they are seeking legal advice.
Veteran Shiv Sena leader and Minister of Urban Development Eknath Shinde on Saturday had also hinted his party's support in giving Muslims 5 per cent reservation in educational institutions.
Amidst this major backtracking, it is important to note that Shiv Sena, a former BJP ally, had opposed the reservation in the past. However, the only difference now is the Uddhav Thackeray-led party is in an alliance with the Congress and the NCP which have been strong advocates of quota for Muslims in the state.
The tripartite alliance between the Congress, Shiv Sena and NCP had recently come face to face regarding the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Shiv Sena supported the Act while the other two parties called it discriminatory.
After a meet with PM Modi, Uddhav said, "No one has to fear about CAA." While senior Congress leader Thackeray Prithviraj Chavan said Uddhav should first understand the Act and avoid supporting it.
