An all-party meeting was called to discuss the strategy for approving the reservation after the bandh called by the Marathas on Wednesday turned violent.
A special session of the state assembly would be convened to pass "a law or a resolution" to grant reservation for the Marathas, after the State Backward Class Commission submits its report, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Saturday as political parties backed a quota in jobs for the influential community.
An all-party meeting was called to discuss the strategy for approving the reservation after the bandh called by the Marathas on Wednesday turned violent.
The Chief Minister said that after assuming power in 2014, the party had approved the Maratha reservation Bill but it was squashed in the Supreme Court. "We did not get relief. Now, on the lines of Tamil Nadu, we have decided to get a social backwardness report from the backward commission. In this extraordinary situation, we can extend the reservation limit of 52 per cent," Fadnavis said.
He further said, "We had earlier appointed a chairman for the backward commission but he passed away. Now, the new commission has been appointed. Once we receive the report, it will be tabled in the assembly and approved in the special session."
Fadnavis said that there were some "lacunae" in the previous decisions regarding reservations. "We decided to remove these gaps so it can sustain in the court of law," Fadnavis said, adding that the 16% Maratha reservation will be retained in the the state's mega recruitment drive.
Other than the Chief Minister, the afternoon meeting, which lasted for over two hours, was attended by Speaker Haribhau Bagade, BJP ministers Chandrakant Patil, Sudhir Mungatiwar and Vinod Tawade; Shiv Sena ministers Eknath Shinde, Ramdas Kadam and Subhash Desai; Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, former deputy chief ministers Ajit Pawar and Chhagan Bhujbal, and Peasant and Workers Party leader Jayant Patil, among others.
About Wednesday's violence, Fadnavis said that police cases registered against innocent people would be withdrawn. "I have asked the Director General of Police to look into these cases.," he said.
"Besides the reservations, we have taken other measures to help the Maratha community. We are planning to construct hostels in every district. We waived engineering, medical and other higher studies fees for Maratha students," he said.
NCP leader Ajit Pawar said the BJP-led government was playing with the emotions of Marathas. "It has been four years and no concrete decision has been taken. We are with the government if they bring the Maratha reservations bill in the assembly... It will be the responsibility of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis to approve the bill in the state and the centre. The Dhangar and Muslim reservation bills should be approved," Pawar said.
Vikhe-Patil said the Congress backs the Maratha reservation. "The government should immediately withdraw criminal cases lodged against the agitators. The Maratha protesters are not criminals. We will meet the backward commission and request them to submit the report as early as possible."
NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal said that the government should pacify the anger of the Marathas, not inflame it. "We are here to support the community for reservations. We should also take precautions that other SC, ST and OBC reservations do not get disturbed," Bhujbal said.
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