Lack of political will stalled reservations, says Udayanraje Bhosale

Mumbai: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Udayanraje Bhosale on Friday asked why the governments could not show the same willingness in responding to quota demands as the Centre had when agreeing to restore the provisions of the SC/ST Act. A lack of political will was the main reason why the Maratha community’s demand for reservation in jobs and education has not been fulfilled all these years, said the Satara MP, who is a descendant of Maratha emperor Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Mr Bhosale said that if the Union government could agree to bring a bill to restore the provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, why could the Centre and state governments not show the same readiness to decide the reservation demands of Gujjars, Jaats, Patidars and Marathas. “After the Supreme Court introduced safeguards against arrests under the act, the government has approved a bill to restore original provisions,” he said.

“When nobody objected to the demand for Maratha reservation, why was the issue not resolved in the last 25-30 years,” Mr Bhosale asked. The BJP-led Maharashtra government should expedite the process as “sentiments of the Maratha community are getting stronger,” he warned.

In the earlier phase of the agitation, the community took out 58 silent and peaceful processions, he said. “The government then only made promises, which was an eyewash, and then the issue was neglected,” he alleged.

“I am going to call a meeting of all conveners of the Maratha Kranti Morcha and appeal to them that the agitation should not turn violent and public property should not be damaged,” he said. He also demanded the government withdraw all cases against the Maratha protesters.