Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde criticised the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition in the state, accusing them of exploiting the Maratha community for political gain and failing to deliver on their promise of reservation.
Shinde emphasised that his government, in alliance with Shiv Sena, the BJP, and the NCP, swiftly fulfilled the pledge of providing 10 percent reservation to the Maratha community.
"We delivered on our promise in record time. They only used the Maratha community for their own benefit and kept them deprived of reservation," Shinde stated, referring to the MVA, which comprises Congress, the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), and Shiv Sena (UBT).
Shinde highlighted the efforts made by his government, including convening special meetings, reconstituting the backward commission, and conducting a comprehensive survey to establish the social and economic backwardness of the Maratha community.
"We did it in record time. Those who had to do this did nothing for years," Shinde remarked, targeting the opposition MVA.
The chief minister urged the opposition to support the government's decision on the Maratha reservation, stating, "The Maratha community should benefit from it."
Regarding concerns about the sustainability of the reservation, Shinde challenged critics to provide reasons and assured that the reservation would continue. He pointed out that, despite legal challenges, no court has stayed the implementation of the Maratha reservation, which is currently in force.
In February, the Maharashtra Assembly unanimously passed a bill granting 10 percent reservation in education and government jobs to the Maratha community without affecting the existing OBC quota.
This move is distinct from the Maharashtra government's earlier notification on issuing Kunbi caste certificates to eligible Marathas for inclusion within the OBC category.
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