Maratha issue: Shiv Sena delegation meets CM Fadnavis, seeks special session

A Shiv Sena delegation led by party chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to demand a special session of the state Legislature to discuss reservation for Maratha community and amendments to the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The meeting comes in the wake of a controversial cartoon in the Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' which met with widespread criticism.

The delegation met Fadnavis this evening at his official residence Varsha in south Mumbai.

Senior Sena leader and state minister Subhash Desai admitted the party has borne the brunt of the backlash over the controversial cartoon.

"The state legislature should pass unanimous resolution over the issue and send it to the Centre. A delegation led by Uddhavji met the Chief Minister in this regard on Friday," Desai said.

On September 27, office of the Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' in Navi Mumbai was pelted with stones over a cartoon published in the daily alluding to the silent marches being taken out by Maratha community across the state.

The community's demands include stern action against the culprits of Kopardi rape and murder case, reservations for the community and scrapping of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The silent marches began after the alleged rape and murder of a Maratha girl at Kopardi in July.