India

Sharad Pawar Urges Governments To Resolve Maratha Quota Issue, Calls For All-Party Meeting

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar has called on both the Maharashtra and Union governments to address the contentious Maratha quota issue, endorsing potential measures including an increase to the 50 percent reservation ceiling.

In a statement on Monday, Pawar urged Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to organize an all-party meeting to tackle the ongoing Maratha quota dispute. He also called on the Central Government to consider removing the 50 percent cap on reservations, asserting that the ceiling limit could be revised with unified support from all political factions.

“The judiciary has set a 50 percent limit on reservations, but if this poses a problem, all parties in the state should collaborate to persuade the Centre to lift the cap. The Centre has the authority to adjust these limits, and we will fully support such a move if it garners broad-based backing,” Pawar declared.

Also Read: Supreme Court Issues Notice To Enforcement Directorate On Vijay Nair’s Bail Plea

Pawar’s comments resonate with those made last week by Shiv Sena (UBT) President and former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who faced criticism from his Mahayuti allies for similar views.

Highlighting the precedent set by Tamil Nadu, which once implemented a 76 percent quota before the imposition of the 50 percent ceiling, Pawar noted that the issue now rests solely with the Central Government.

Opposition Capacity

Pawar also urged Chief Minister Shinde to invite Manoj Jarange-Patil, the leader of Shivba Sanghatana who has been vocal about the Maratha quota demands, to the proposed all-party meeting. He emphasized the importance of including leaders from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) as well, with the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ready to participate in an opposition capacity.

In response, Chief Minister Shinde confirmed ongoing consultations with Sharad Pawar regarding potential solutions to the protracted quota issue, which has stirred political unrest in Maharashtra.

“Maintaining social harmony is crucial. If we fail to address these concerns now, the consequences could be unpredictable,” Pawar caution.

When asked if Jarange-Patil should run for the Assembly elections on the Maratha quota issue, Pawar refrained from commenting directly, instead noting, “In a democracy, everyone has the right to contest elections and seek votes.”

Jarange-Patil has warned that if the government does not fulfill the Maratha quota demands, he and his supporters might not only oppose candidates from the Mahayuti and MVA but could also field their own candidates in all 288 Assembly constituencies in an effort to gain political power.

Richa Kaushik

Recent Posts

HM Amit Shah Hails Anti-Naxal Success; Pledges Continued Drive For Peace

Amit Shah lauded the success of recent anti-Naxal operations in Chhattisgarh and expressed his desire…

9 mins ago

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Reaffirms India’s Zero Tolerance For Terrorism

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday reaffirmed India's firm zero tolerance policy towards terrorism and…

20 mins ago

Kisan Credit Card Scheme A Lifeline For Indian Farmers: FM Nirmala Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday described the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme as a…

2 hours ago

Trump Administration Shuts Down Controversial ‘Quiet Skies’ Surveillance Program

The Trump administration has officially shut down the ‘Quiet Skies’ passenger surveillance program, a covert…

3 hours ago

PM Modi Likely To Visit Bengal For Twin Programmes On June 20

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit West Bengal later this month for two…

3 hours ago

Elon Musk Hints At Launching ‘The America Party’ As Political Rift With Trump Widens

Elon Musk has sparked speculation about founding a new political outfit named 'The America Party'…

3 hours ago