Will approach SC over Maratha quota issue: Parth Pawar

MUMBAI: Terming the suicide of a Maratha youth from Maharashtra's Beed as "tragic", NCP chief Sharad Pawar's grandnephew Parth Pawar said he will file an intervention application before the Supreme Court over the Maratha quota issue.

In a series of tweets on Wednesday night, Parth said he was devastated to hear about the "tragic death" of Vivek Rahade and urged leaders of the Maratha community to wake up and fight for the quota cause before a chain reaction of such "unfortunate" incidents starts.

The son of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar requested the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, comprising the NCP, Shiv Sena and Congress, to step in to resolve the crisis.

The Supreme Court had last month stayed implementation of the Maratha quota in jobs and education, as it referred the case to a larger bench, and the Maharashtra government on September 21 said it had filed an application before the apex court, seeking vacation of the stay.

"The flame that Vivek has ignited in our minds can set the whole system ablaze.

The future of an entire generation is at stake.

I have no choice but to approach the Hon'ble Supreme Court and file an intervenor application in the Maratha reservation matter pending before it," Parth tweeted.

"I am ready to carry the burning torch of Maratha agitation in my heart and knock the doors of justice for Vivek and millions of other helpless 'Viveks'," he added.

The NCP leader also shared a photograph of Vivek and a suicide note purportedly written by the latter on the micro-blogging site.

Vivek purportedly wrote in the note that he had not been able to secure a seat after appearing for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), an exam for medical college aspirants, since the quota has been stayed.

Vivek purportedly said he was the son of a poor farmer and his family could not afford admit him to a private college.

"The state and Central governments will feel pity for sons of Marathas at least after my death and my death will be of some use," reads the note shared by Parth on Twitter.