Eknath Shinde-led govt wants to grant legally sustainable reservation to Maratha community, says NCP MP Tatkare

The seat distribution among the Mahayuti constituents will happen properly and the leaders of the state and centre will be party to the same, Tatkare said.

Thane: Lok Sabha MP and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sunil Tatkare on Sunday said he traced the history of reservations given to Marathas and the issues it faced in the judiciary, and the state government wanted to grant a legally sustainable reservation to the community.

Speaking to reporters here, Tatkare said the constituents of the ‘Mahayuti’ — the Shiv Sena, NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) and BJP — are now working towards “Mission 45 plus” and are sure to bag more than 45 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The seat distribution among the Mahayuti constituents will happen properly and the leaders of the state and centre will be party to the same, he said.

The NCP leader reiterated that the Maharashtra government under the leadership of Eknath Shinde was committed to grant reservation to the Marathas.

“I have traced the history of reservations given to the Marathas and its journey and the issues faced by it in the judiciary,” he said.

The community’s demand for reservation was justified and it should get it, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP's state unit president said.

The Marathas were granted reservation following the Rane committee’s report, but it did not survive in the courts, he said, adding that the state government wants a legally sustainable reservation for the community.

The NCP leader referred to the agitations carried out by the Sakal Maratha Samaj and said that even his party was concerned about the suicides in the state over the issue of reservations.

Earlier in the day, activists and leaders of Maratha Mahasangh showed black flags and shouted slogans when Tatkare arrived for a programme in the city.

The NCP leader later met a delegation of Maratha leaders and discussed the issue of reservations and the government’s stand.

He explained the situation and appealed to them not to resort to suicide and other extreme steps.

Talking to the media, one of the leaders of the delegation Ramesh Ambre said, “Whenever a leader comes to our town or city, we are not allowed to meet them. Hence, we showed black flags to Tatkare.”

The NCP leader has assured that he will take up the issue in Delhi, he said.