MVA govt avoiding decision on OBC quota: Fadnavis

Nagpur: Leader of opposition Devendra Fadnavis has once again hit out at the MVA regime over OBC quota in local bodies, saying that the government appears to avoid a decision on the matter till next elections.
This comes after state government has filed a petition in Supreme Court on Saturday seeking that it should direct the Centre on providing empirical data on OBC quota issue. Fadnavis said, “It seems that the state government is merely buying time. They have the right to go to the supreme court, but the empirical data can be collected within the state itself in the next three to four months through a survey,” he said.
He was speaking to the media at the sidelines of a function by Karnataka Milk Federation which launched its production in the region on Sunday.
The Centre has already intimated the state about the difficulties related to impurities in the data. Due to it the data could not be submitted to the Rohini Commission on OBCs. However, instead of gathering the data, the state has moved the Supreme Court. If the state still does not act on collecting the empirical data on the OBCs it is clear that the state is not interested in granting quota, said Fadnavis.
The government only seems to be creating an impression that the ball is in the Centre’s court and the Centre is not acting. If the state government really has the will, the reservation can be granted at its level,” he said.
The Centre can only furnish data on basis of census. The court needs political empirical data on the subject for which the state government will have to make efforts, he said.
However, states civil supplies minister and NCP leader Chagan Bhujbal has earlier said that even Fadnavis had written to the Centre on the data but did not get a favourable response.
Fadnavis also said it is time that state government should ease Covid restrictions. It should be freed at least in the districts like where cases have come down to a minimal level. Fadnavis said that even discrimination between essential and non-essential services should be done away with.
The ban is already killing the businesses and government has no scheme to aid the small businesses hit due to the lockdown, said Fadnavis.