In response to the criticism of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis by Baramati MP Supriya Sule, former Vadgaon Sheri MLA and BJP leader Jagdish Mulik issued a rebuttal.
Mulik expressed his disagreement with Supriya Sule's remarks, particularly her targeting of Devendra Fadnavis in the context of the ongoing Maratha reservation issue. He expressed his disappointment and questioned the prolonged delay in resolving the reservation matter, pointing out that even during the tenure of Supriya Sule's father, who served as Maharashtra's Chief Minister, the issue remained unresolved.
Jagdish Mulik went on to defend Devendra Fadnavis, describing him as a leader who has consistently worked for the progress and welfare of all communities. He noted Fadnavis's efforts to address the Maratha reservation issue during his tenure as Chief Minister but lamented that these efforts faced obstacles under the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray.
Mulik expressed his confidence in the current government led by Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, expressing optimism that it would ultimately find a resolution to the longstanding Maratha reservation issue.
Here's what Sule said
NCP leader Supriya Sule has held Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis responsible for last week's police action on Maratha quota agitators in Jalna, and alleged the state and Union governments were not serious about the issue of reservations for various communities.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, she also urged the Centre to convene a special session of Parliament to find a solution to the issue of reservations.
The police baton-charged and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse a violent mob at Antarwali Sarathi village in Jalna district on September 1 after protesters allegedly refused to let authorities shift an activist on a hunger strike for the Maratha quota demand to a hospital. Several persons, including 40 police personnel, were injured and more than 15 state transport buses set ablaze in the violence.
"The state and Union governments are not serious about quota to Marathas, Lingayats, Muslims, Dhangars etc. Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis spoke about solving the Dhangar reservation issue in a meeting in front of our house in Baramati, but he seems to have forgotten about it," Sule said.
"The police lathi-charged protesters in Jalna for which Fadnavis (who holds the Home portfolio in the Eknath Shinde government) is responsible. The Union government must convene a special session of Parliament to find a solution to the issue of reservations," the working president of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) said.
Notably, Fadnavis earlier this week said the government regrets the use of force by police against the Maratha quota protesters in Jalna. "The Maharashtra government expresses regret for the use of force by police in Jalna district a few days back," he said on Monday.
