Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today said the state government is committed to providing reservation to the agitating Maratha community.
"There is a commitment and resolve towards providing reservation to the Maratha community," Fadnavis told the state Assembly while winding up a marathon debate on the issue.
The Chief Minister, who spoke for about two hours, said the state government was prepared to take the legal battle to the logical end.
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He said senior lawyer Harish Salve will represent the government in the Bombay High Court on the Maratha reservation issue. "Salve will not charge a single rupee to fight the case," Fadnavis said adding he will be assisted by a team of prominent lawyers, including Vijay Singh Thakur, Ravi Kadam, V A Kadam and S Pingle.
"The state government has already filed a comprehensive affidavit in the HC strongly pleading for reservation to the Maratha community," he said.
Two days back, the Bombay High Court said it would commence in February 2017 the final hearing on a bunch of petitions challenging Maharashtra government's decision to grant 16 per cent reservation to the Marathas.
The petitions opposed the then Congress-NCP government's 2014 decision to grant 16 per cent reservation in government jobs and educational institutions to the Maratha community.
"The Marathas had enjoyed the reservation facility till the year 1965, which was suddenly revoked by the past government," Fadnavis claimed adding, "Even the Bapat Commission was not in favour of reservation."
Stating categorically that the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1988, will not be diluted (as being demanded by the Maratha community), Fadnavis said, "But the Government will not allow the misuse of the Act. No true followers of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar will misuse it."
He also appreciated the role of the state government appointed committee -- with members including state ministers Vinod Tawade, Eknath Shinde and NCP leader Ajit Pawar-- which helped in preparing the documents on the basis of scientific evidences which have been filed in the high court.
Fadnavis added that reservation to Muslim community was scrapped on the basis of religion, but about 50 sub castes in the Muslim community will continue to get the benefit.
In March 2015, the government had scrapped an ordinance providing five per cent reservation for Muslims, despite the high court allowing quota for the community in educational institutions.
In the run-up to the 2014 Assembly polls, the previous Congress-NCP government had issued an ordinance on July 11, 2014 allowing 16 per cent reservation for Marathas and five per cent for Muslims in government-run schools and colleges as well as jobs.
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Fadnavis lauded "discipline and cleanliness" observed during the Maratha community's silent marches taken out across the state.
"Throughout the state, about 46 such silent marches were conducted, while eight were held at places outside Maharashtra, like Gwalior and even in foreign countries," he said.
"Not only the members of the community, which was not led by any political party leader, but mostly by girls and women, used to submit memorandum to the authorities. They used to bring eatables and before going back, used to clean the premises which was excellent" he said.
On the Kopardi gangrape and murder case (in which the 14-year-old victim belonged to Maratha community), he said the state will ensure that the culprits get the death penalty.
"The state government has roped in noted lawyer Ujjwal Nikam to fight the case in a special fast track court. The prosecution has not only completed the investigation, but filed the charge sheet on time. The government will ensure that the culprit is hanged to death," he told the Lower House.
Talking about scholarships and hostel facilities for Maratha community, Fadnavis said the state government will construct hostels for the youths and students in urban and semi-urban areas to pursue their education.
"Wherever the hostel facility is not available, the state would provide Rs 30,000 in urban and Rs 20,000 in rural areas to each student of Maratha community for a year," he said.
He targeted the previous Congress-NCP regime for not taking sincere steps to provide reservation to the sub castes of Muslim community.
"Indeed the Prithiraj Chavan government brought out an ordinance to give reservation to Muslims, which was rejected by the court," he taunted.
The government was already providing adequate funding to the Muslim students and youths through various state-run institutions and scholarships.
Over the demand for implementation of the report of the Swaminathan Commission (national commission on farmers) for betterment of agriculture, Fadnavis said about 65 per cent of Maratha community is dependent on agriculture. "The commission report was not relevant and practical for the agriculture sector in Maharashtra," he said.
