Maratha quota row: Shiv Sena (UBT) says it was not invited to all-party meeting called by CM

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India]: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday alleged that his party MPs and MLAs were not sent an invitation to the all-party meeting called by the Maharashtra government on the Maratha reservation.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said that while a party with zero lawmakers were invited to the meeting, his party which has 16 MLAs and 6 MPs was not invited.

Taking to social media platform, X, Raut posted, “What to do with this government? Even though Maharashtra is on fire, his shameless politics continue. Chief Minister called an all-party meeting on the Maratha reservation. Shiv Sena was not invited to that meeting.

Shiv Sena has 16 MLAs and 6 MPs. The case is going on in the Supreme Court. Invitation to those who have one MLA. Those who have no MLA are also invited. But Shiv Sena is in the eye. Ambadas Danve is invited as the Leader of the Opposition. Ok.

We don’t want to be pampered. But solve the question. Save the life of Jarange-Patil. The element of extra-constitutional government has been filled. The time of reckoning is drawing near. Jai Maharashtra!”

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has called an all-party meeting on Wednesday morning to discuss the situation in the state amid the intensified Maratha quota agitation.

Meanwhile, the quota activist Manoj Jarange has been sitting on an indefinite fast for over a week. On Tuesday the Maratha reservation activist had decided to start drinking water after CM Eknath Shinde assured him of a solution.

Jarange-Patil however continues his agitation refusing to eat solid food. Patil says he will continue to drink water for two more days but would resume his complete hunger strike if the state government fails to place Marathas under the OBC category by giving them Kunbi caste certificates.

The activist also demanded that the government convene a special session to discuss the Maratha reservation demand.

Earlier on Tuesday, the state government accepted the first report presented by the Justice Shinde committee and issued a Government Resolution (GR), to decide the procedure for granting Kunbi caste certificates to the Maratha in the Marathwada region.

The process of issuance of Kunbi certificates has begun. The Kunbi community is eligible for reservation in the OBC category.

The GR (Government Resolution) noted “The available documents from Marathwada and other regions concerning the Maratha-Kunbi and Kunbi-Maratha caste certificates, the (retired) justice Sandeep Shinde Committee’s first report has been approved by the State Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde today.”

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reiterated that the state government is committed to provide Maratha reservation which will pass legal scrutiny.

According to the Shinde Committee report, approximately till October 30, 1,74,45,432 records have been checked and from them, 13,498 records of Kunbi caste have been found as of now.

“Also, 460 evidence presented by the citizens in the review meeting in Marathwada were presented to the committee. During the investigation, most of the records in the old archives are in Modi script or Urdu language. The first report of Justice Sandeep Shinde (Retd) committee has been accepted. After this report the Kunbi caste certificate will be given to Marathas”,” it added.

The Shinde committee reviewed the district-wise records in connection to the Maratha reservation. The committee directed the concerned 8 District Collectors to prepare a single sample for all the districts of Marathwada and inspect the records to submit a report to the government regarding the checked records.