Maratha quota: BJP MP warns of protest if demands not met by June 6

BJP party symbol. File Pic

BJP MP Sambhaji Chhatrapati on Friday warned that if the Maharashtra government does not approve his demands concerning the Maratha community by June 6, he would launch an agitation irrespective of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking to reporters here, Sambhaji Chhatrapati, a descendant of Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji, said he submitted a list of his demands to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday.

He gave the list of demands over three weeks after the Supreme Court struck down the Maharashtra law granting quota to the Maratha community in admissions and government jobs, by terming it as "unconstitutional", and held that there were no exceptional circumstances to breach the 50 per cent reservation cap set by the 1992 Mandal verdict.

"I submitted a list of five demands to CM Uddhav Thackeray today. If the state government does not approve it till June 6, I will personally start an agitation from Raigad fort regardless of the Covid-19 restrictions," he said.

Also Read: BJP MP Sambhaji Chhatrapati meets Sharad Pawar over Maratha quota issue

"The Supreme Court on May 5 struck down the Maratha reservation act of the state government, and I had requested people to desist from any strong reaction. But I will not do so this time," he said.

The parliamentarian had on Thursday met NCP chief Sharad Pawar to discuss the Maratha reservation issue and urged him to take an initiative in the matter. Over the last few days, he toured parts of the state to discuss with locals from the community regarding the future course of action.

Convening a two-day session of the state legislature to take some decisions that would benefit Maratha community, and setting up of district level hostels for Maratha students are two of his demands.

His other demands are- empowering SARTHI (Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Research, Training and Human Development Institute) with efficient and active people, giving it a funding of Rs 1,000 crore; increasing the amount of loan given by Annasaheb Patil Economically Backward Development Corporation to Rs 25 lakh, he said.

"I have placed these demands before the chief minister. I will wait for the decision till June 6," he said.

Chhatrapati Sambhaji is a BJP nominated Rajya Sabha member and his term is ending in May 2022.

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