What is your opinion on Maratha protestors demand: Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar questions Sharad Pawar

Ashish Shelar. File Pic

Amid a debate on Maratha and OBC reservations in Maharashtra, Mumbai BJP President Ashish Shelar targeted NCP-SP Chief Sharad Pawar and asked about his opinion on Maratha protestors demand that they need reservations from the OBC quota, reported news agency ANI.

"Sharad Pawar is a senior leader and reacting on his statement over something might not have been appropriate if his statement was clear. We want to know when protest for Maratha reservation was going on, by looking at the fear of OBC community, all-party meeting was called by CM (Eknath Shinde). At that time your party NCP-SCP was not ready to attend the meeting, Uddhav Thackeray's party and Congress were also not ready to come. Why did you people not attend the meeting. Now everyone wants to know, what is your opinion on Maratha protestors demand that they need reservation from OBC quota," Ashish Shelar said, reported ANI.

Earlier, Maharashtra Minister Chhagan Bhujbal met National Congress Party (SCP) chief Sharad Pawar and said that the alleged clashes between people belonging to Maratha and OBC communities over reservation can be stopped if all parties come together.

This was the first meeting of Chhagan Bhujbal with Sharad Pawar after the NCP split in July last year.

After meeting with Pawar, Bhujbal said, "NCP-SCP Chief Sharad Pawar knows how the people of different communities are living in villages. I told him that there are clashes in villages in connection with the Maratha reservation. This can be stopped if leaders of all parties come together, otherwise the situation will keep worsening. He (Sharad Pawar) said he would speak to CM Shinde and try to bring out a solution," reported ANI.

In June, Manoj Jarange suspended his indefinite fast and set a deadline for the Maharashtra government to accept the community's demands.

Jarange has been demanding reservations for the Maratha community under the OBC category for several years.

In February this year, the Maharashtra government, during a special assembly session, approved a Bill to extend 10 per cent reservation to the Marathas, based on a report submitted by the Maharashtra Backward Class Commission (MBCC).

(With inputs from ANI)