18 July,2024 03:31 PM IST | Jalna | mid-day online correspondent
Sharad Pawar/ File Pic
Former Maharashtra minister and BJP MLA Babanrao Lonikar has accused NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar of misleading the Maratha community on reservation. At a party workers' meeting in Partur, Jalna district, on Wednesday, Lonikar referred to Pawar as 'Shakuni mama,' a character from the 'Mahabharata' who is devious and deceptive, reported PTI.
"Sharad Pawar has deceived the Maratha community by not granting reservation to it. In 2018, the BJP government had given reservation to this community, but it could not sustain itself in the Supreme Court. As asked by Sharad Pawar, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Uddhav Thackeray hired senior lawyer Kapil Sibal to fight the case in the apex court. But Sibal's involvement led to the government facing rejection in the case," Lonikar told PTI.
According to the report, in 2021, the Supreme Court overturned Maharashtra's 2018 Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act, which gave reservation to the Maratha community, claiming violations of the 50 per cent reservation ceiling. Manoj Jarange, a Maratha activist, is currently demanding a quota for the community by classifying them as Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
Recently, Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal met Sharad Pawar to discuss the issue of Maratha and OBC quota that has resulted in conflict among the two sections. Chhagan Bhujbal, after meeting Pawar Sr, on Monday said that the alleged clashes between Maratha and OBC people over reservation can be stopped if all parties come together.
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"NCP-SCP Chief Sharad Pawar understands how individuals from diverse communities live in rural. I informed him of village confrontations over the Maratha reservation. This can be stopped if leaders from all parties work together; otherwise, the situation will worsen. According to ANI, he (Sharad Pawar) stated that he would speak with Chief Minister Shinde and attempt to find a solution.
"I can meet PM Modi, HM Amit Shah, or LoP Rahul Gandhi for OBC reservation; I am ready to do anything to solve this issue," he had told ANI.
"People from the Maratha and OBC communities have tremendously negative views against one another, and in certain regions of Maharashtra, they are not even visiting each other's homes. Due of an ongoing reservation controversy. According to ANI, Chhagan Bhujbal requested Sharad Pawar Sahib's involvement because he is a Maharashtra leader with a better understanding of the situation.
