Govt accuses Cong, NCP of playing politics over Muslim quota

The Maharashtra Legislative Council today witnessed uproar as the government blamed the Congress and NCP of playing politics over the issue of reservation for Muslims in education.
During the Question Hour, Leader of Opposition Dhananjay Munde alleged that the government had deliberately allowed the Ordinance providing reservation to get lapsed.
Replying to Munde's charge, Minorities Development Minister Eknath Khadse said the Opposition was playing politics over the issue and that the government was committed to work out a solution for providing reservation to Muslims.
"We will definitely provide reservation to Muslims and we are working on it. You sat on it for 50 years and now you can continue playing politics over it. Even Muslims know that you have done injustice to them despite they have been voting you to power since so many times," Khadse said.

The Opposition members tried to disrupt Khadse from speaking over the issue, but the minister continued with his reply.
In June last year, the then Congress-NCP government had approved 16 per cent reservation for Marathas and five per cent for Muslims. However, the Congress and NCP were routed in the Assembly polls held in October.
Subsequently, on November 14 last year, the Bombay High Court had stayed implementation of the erstwhile Congress-NCP government's decision to provide 16 per cent reservations for Marathas in jobs and education.
The court had also stayed the decision to provide five per cent reservation to Muslims in government jobs, but allowed quota for the minority community in educational institutions.