Amit Shah has meet with MPs on Maratha stir

Mumbai: In a significant development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi intervened in the issue related to the grant of reservations to the Maratha and Dhangar communities and took stock of the situation in Maharashtra from CM Devendra Fadnavis in New Delhi on Monday evening. BJP President Amit Shah also conducted the meeting of MPs in the presence of CM Fadnavis. The Centre is now engaged in finding a solution to the problem in the backdrop of the proposed intensification of the Maratha reservation stir in the state from Thursday with a state wide bandh.

The stir has been going on since a month, which erupted in violence and suicide incidents. The situation has become beyond control and the Sakal Maratha samaj and other organisations are firm over the decision of agitations from August 9 despite assurances given by CM Fadnavis.

CM Fadnavis had declared the deadline as November 2018 on Sunday for completing all legal steps, but organisations don’t trust Mr Fadnavis and are not ready to wait. Agitations and violence are still continuing in the state, which is a matter of concern for PM Modi and Amit Shah who is taking review of the situation regularly.

CM Fadnavis met PM Modi and discussed the Maratha and Dhangar reservation issue in a meeting for more than one and half hour. The state government needs help from the Union government to complete legal formalities and Mr Fadnavis briefed PM Modi about political issues in the agitations. Congress president Rahul Gandhi called a meeting of state Congress leaders on August 8 on the issue. All issues have been discussed in the meeting, said sources.  Meanwhile, BJP President Amit Shah also conducted a meeting of MPs at the residence of state president Raosaheb Danve. Heena Gavit raised the issue of attack on her in the Lok Sabha, which was embarrassing for the BJP. So Shah asked party MPs to take a stand and help the state government to pacify the Marathas. The Opposition should not take advantage of the situation, which may damage the BJP in the upcoming elections.  Mr Shah cautioned MPs about the implications of reservation issue and party strategy in light of the bandh.