Pune: While addressing MNS workers in Pune on Friday, party chief Raj Thackeray said that reservations should be given on the basis of “economic backwardness” and not caste. Once a particular caste got reservation, other castes would demand the same, he said.
Besides, reservation can be given only for government jobs and at state-run educational institutions but at a time when both are allegedly going down, how can reservations be useful, he questioned.
He said that the state was playing with the emotions of people over the reservation issue. “The BJP government is playing politics over the issue. It is not interested in taking it seriously that Kakasaheb Shinde unnecessarily lost his life in all of this. Once one caste gets reservation, another caste comes forward for the same,” said the MNS chief.
He reiterated his stand that preference in jobs and education should be given to local youths over outsiders. “Maharashtra is the first preference for investors. Many industries and businesses come up here in large numbers. Who will these industries hire? If 80 to 90 per cent jobs in these industries in Maharashtra are given to local youths, there will be no need for reservation. But politicians here are not concerned about it and they are just playing with people. The youths in the state need to understand this.”
Taking on MPs and MLAs in the state, he said, “Gujarati is a compulsory language till Class four in Gujarat. But here, people staying in Maharashtra for generations don’t speak Mara-thi. Our MPs and MLAs in both the former Congress-NCP government and the current BJP-Sena government are not seen doing anything for people in the state or for the state. Castes should not fight with each other. All castes fought together in Chhatrapati Shivaji’s time. Otherwise, Maharashra will become like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.”
