Maha Vikas Aghadi government should follow the policy of the erstwhile BJP government that offered benefits to the Maratha community on par with the OBCs. Until the issue of Maratha reservation is resolved, the state should announce a package of Rs 3000 crore for the community, BJP state unit chief Chandrakant Patil demanded on Friday.
The centre has filed a review petition in the Supreme Court to assert that the states have every right to offer reservation for a backward community. Now the state should also file a petition on the same issue, said Patil. Meanwhile, Devendra Fadnavis, leader of opposition in the State Assembly echoed Patil’s demand for the state’s petition in SC.
The Maratha community should be given facilities and benefits for education and availability of jobs. Our government had offered it and now the MVA government should also continue to give it. Of the 3000 Cr, Rs 1000 Cr should be given to Annasaheb Patil economically backward class development corporation which can be utilized for creating employment opportunities, The SARATHI institute should be given Rs 500 Cr and Rs 600 Cr should be provided for the payment of 50 per cent academic fees of students from the Maratha community, Patil said.
"When we were in power Rs 1200 crore were made available for the payment of academic fees, provided scholarships and 14000 youths were given loans up to Rs 10 lakh for creating employment opportunities. Apart from this, students staying in cities for educational purposes were compensated with the hostel and boarding charges. Now the same package should be made available," Patil asked.
The state government should first form the backward class commission to study the demand afresh with data collection to prove the backwardness of the community. It should also raise the point of a 50 per cent cap for the reservation by filing a review petition at the SC, Patil and Fadnavis have demanded.