'Won't Question Govt...': Uddhav Thackeray Backs CM Shinde After Assembly Passes Maratha Quota Bill

After the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly unanimously passed the Maratha Reservation Bill on Tuesday, former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray appreciated the government. He also congratulated the Marathas and added that many people sacrificed for the Maratha reservation. Thackeray also mentioned the latchi charge and added that he won't question the government today.

"After studying the bill the government table this bill and it was passed and it will stay in court too. I'm happy and we appreciate the government. I congratulate the Maratha people and many people gave their sacrifice for this Maratha reservation. We saw a lathi charge in Antarwali village it was not needed but today I will not question the government. This reservation is for education & Job," said Uddhav Thackeray.

The bill was introduced in the assembly at the Special Session of the Legislature this afternoon, and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde detailed the government's position on the quotas issue. Now, the Marathas will be entitled to 10 per cent reservations in educational institutions and in state government jobs, fulfilling a long-pending demand of the community.

Speaking in the assembly, Shinde said that he was a soldier of the late Balasaheb Thackeray and would stick to his word, and he felt proud to introduce the reservation for the Maratha community.

"This is the victory of the movement launched by (Shivba Sanghatana leader) Manoj Jarange-Patil, and is a day of fulfilment of the aspirations of the Marathas. This has been done without doing injustice to any other community including the OBCs or disturbing their quotas," said Shinde.

In June 2017, the then Devendra Fadnavis government constituted the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission (MSBCC), headed by Justice (retired) MG Gaikwad, to study the social, financial, and educational status of the Maratha community.

The Commission submitted its report in November 2018, classifying Marathas as a socially and educationally backward class (SEBC).

On May 5, 2021, the Supreme Court struck down reservations for the Maratha community in colleges, higher educational institutions, and jobs, after noting that there was no valid ground to breach a 50 per cent reservation while granting Maratha reservation.