BJP-led govt in Maha "dilly-dallying" on Maratha quota: Cong

The BJP-led government in Maharashtra is "dilly-dallying" on the issue of reservations for the Maratha community in jobs and education, Congress said today and sought the Governor's intervention in the matter.

The state government is dilly-dallying in proffering reservation to Marathas and some other communities, Congress said and asked Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao to instruct it to take decisions in this regard immediately.

A delegation led by state Congress chief Ashok Chavan met Rao this afternoon and asked him to instruct the state government to immediately withdraw cases filed against "innocent" agitators during the recent Maratha quota protests.

In a memorandum to the Governor, the party said the government would be to blame if the law and order situation in deteriorates if a decision on the quota issue is not announced immediately.

The delegation included Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil and former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan.

"The position of the BJP and the Shiv Sena over quota is vague. Therefore, no concrete decision has been taken on reservations to Marathas, Muslim, Dhangar, Mahadev Koli and Lingayat communities. The government wants to keep these issues pending," the memorandum said.

The Congress charged the government with "hoodwinking" these communities. The absence of any decision has threatened peace and communal harmony in the state, the party said.

Before meeting the Governor, Congress legislators met at Vidhan Bhawan here to discuss the party's strategy on the Maratha quota issue.