07 September,2023 06:23 PM IST | Nagpur | PTI
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On Thursday, the Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole stated that if Congress is voted to power in the state and at the Centre in the upcoming elections, it would provide reservation to the Maratha community by increasing the 50 per cent cap on quota.
Patole added that caste-based census was the only option to provide a permanent solution to the issue of reservation.
Speaking at the Congress' 'Jan Samvad Yatra', Patole said, "Caste-based census is the only option for a permanent solution to provide reservation and give justice for all sections of the society. The previous government led by prime minister Manmohan Singh government had worked on this aspect and a census was carried out in 2011."
He added, "However, after the Modi government came to power in 2014, it did not take the caste-based census further, which means that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not accept that census."
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Patole blamed the ruling BJP over the Maratha reservation issue. "Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had promised during the 2014 elections that the BJP would provide reservation to Marathas if it is voted in power in the state and the Centre. They had also promised quota to the Dhangar (shepherd) community as well although it was not their (BJP's) right to do so."
"This government is now raking up the OBC versus Maratha issue. They are trying to do in Maharashtra what they did in Manipur," Patole alleged and added that the people are rational and they won't fall into the ruling party's trap and won't allow Manipur-like situation to prevail in Maharashtra.
The BJP is against the caste-based census and they will never be able to give reservation, he claimed. The party-led government will also bring people from all backward castes into the mainstream, he said.
(with inputs from PTI)
