MUMBAI: The state government will call for a special session of the Maharashtra legislature to pave way for the Maratha reservation once the report of the state commission for the backward classes that is studying the issue is submitted. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that he has also instructed the director general of police (DGP) to withdraw cases against the pro-quota protestors, except offences that are serious like assaulting the police, damaging public property, arson.

Speaker of the legislative assembly, chairman of the legislative council along with Fadnavis conveyed an all-party meeting in Vidhan Bhavan on Saturday to discuss the issues regarding the demand of Maratha reservation. Critics view this as the BJP’s attempt to reach out to other parties on the issue as it feels cornered and cannot have the issue rage on for any longer with the general elections and the state elections fast approaching.

Fadnavis said it has been decided that the backward classes commission headed by retired judge MG Gaikwad will be requested to submit their report as soon as possible, and once that is done, they will call for assembly sessions to either table a bill or bring in an ordinance giving reservation to the Maratha’s. “We are clear about one thing, that while giving reservation to the Maratha’s no other reservation will be touched or reduced. A separate reservation will be given to the Maratha’s," said Fadnavis while speaking to the press after the meeting.

Fadnavis also said that since the commission is an autonomous and independent body, the government cannot pressurize them to submit the report fast. Fadnavis said that the opposition has agreed to cooperate with us to clear the bill in the session. “The report will give us the roadmap for the next course of action. This time we have to legally correct so that the reservation is standing on firm legal grounds. We do not want any loopholes this time,” said Fadnavis.

He also said that he has received complaints from people saying that they have been booked for the violence in Mumbai and in neighbouring cities on Wednesday despite not participating in the protest. “We will take back cases that are not serious in nature,” said Fadnavis. This was also one of the main demands of the Maratha Kranti Morcha the organization that is spearheading the protest. In a meeting in Dadar they had asked the government to take back cases or else they will start a jail bharo andolan from August 1.

Fadnavis also said that registeration of all those educational institutions will be revoked who do not pass on the 50% scholarships to Maratha students. He said last year more than 2.25 lakh students were benefitted by the scholarship scheme. He also said that there are 10,000 applications that the state government has forwarded to banks to give interest free loans upto Rs 10 lakh to Maratha youth. “Banks are not co-operating or in some cases are asking for co-lateral security. We will take up the issue in the state level bankers committee meeting,” said Fadnavis. He also said that as far as opening new hostels for the Maratha youth, the construction takes time and till then it has been decided that there a few unoccupied PWD buildings in the state, which will be renovated and can be operated as temporary hostels. “One such hostel in Kolhapur and Pune will be started very soon,” said Fadnavis.

Opposition leaders claimed that the government didn’t take the issue very seriously till the situation went out of hand. “We will cooperate with them to ensure that the Maratha community’s demand is met with. They should have had this meeting earlier, things would have been much better,” said NCP leader, Ajit Pawar .

