MPCC President Nana Patole accused the state government of misleading the Maratha Community regarding reservation issues. He called for the Maratha Quota decision to be discussed in a special session of Parliament scheduled for later this month.
"The reservations issue has persisted due to the BJP's opposition to it. They have had a significant majority government at the center for the past nine years and could have easily made the necessary amendments to grant reservation to the Maratha community," Nana Patole said.
"They should make arrangements to provide reservation for the Maratha community during the special session of Parliament later this month," he added.
Patole clarified that to provide new reservations for any community, the 50% cap on quotas, which falls under the center's jurisdiction, must be lifted. He criticized the BJP for not fulfilling their commitment to provide quotas for the Maratha and Dhangar communities, despite making this promise when they came into power.
"It has been over a year and a half, and he has yet to act on his words," Patole added.
He also criticized the state government for seeking a one-month extension to reach a decision on the matter, viewing it as a strategy to postpone addressing the issue. Patole emphasized that attributing the Supreme Court's ruling on reservation to the MVA government was inaccurate, as it was the failure of the previous government to make a decision that could withstand legal scrutiny. Patole also objected to the concept of providing reservation to the Maratha community within the OBC quota, considering it an effort to create conflict between two communities.