"I will not question government," Uddhav Thackeray welcomes Maratha Reservation Bill

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 20 : Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray welcomed the Maratha Reservation Bill introduced and passed in the State Legislative Assembly on Tuesday and said that he would not question the Maharashtra government today as the bill pertains to education and jobs.
Talking to the reporters, Thackeray also congratulated the Maratha people who made sacrifices for Maratha reservation.
"After studying the bill the government tabled this bill and it was passed and it will stay in court too. I'm happy and we appreciate the government. I congratulate the Maratha people and many people gave their sacrifice for this Maratha reservation," Thackeray said.
"We saw a lathi charge in Antarwali village it was not needed but today I will not question the government. This reservation is for education and job," the former CM added.
Taking a jibe at CM Shinde, Thackeray said that although the bill has been passed, but till it is implemented nothing can be said.
"Everyone knows the history of CM (Eknath Shinde) and therefore till the time whatever he has said is implemented nothing can be said. We have supported the government but how many people are getting jobs should be told soon. I hope that it is full proof and for that, we need to wait for some time," the Shive Sena (UBT) chief said.
Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole alleged that the government have brought these types of laws before also to win the elections and now also they are doing it for the elections.
"We knew that they would suppress our voices and would not let us talk. That's why we have already given them one letter based on 4 topics including how will they make this reservation stand in law, how will be able to survive, and have asked the government to reveal the demands made by activist Jairange Patil," he said.
"Before also these types of laws were brought two times but it was scrapped and put in a bin in the Supreme Court. In 2019 they did for the winning elections and now also they did for the elections. They want to take the credit for this. This will not be able to continue because it is done only for the election to get the votes of the Marathas community," the Congress leader said.
Meanwhile, AIMIM leader and MLA Mohammed Ismail Abdul Khalique said that it was a historic day for the Maratha community and also demanded the reservation for the Muslim community.
"The reservation was important for the development of the Maratha community. It is a historic day for the Maratha community. We supported it in the House. But, it is not that only Maratha community people live in Maharashtra. Muslim community people also live in Maharashtra. The Muslim community should also be given reservation," he said.
The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly (lower house) unanimously passed the Maratha Reservation Bill tabled on Tuesday, which intended to extend 10 per cent reservation to Marathas above the 50 per cent cap.
The CM will now table the bill in the Legislative Council for assent after which it becomes a law.
Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar, said the opposition parties were also of the same view that the Maratha community be given the reservation.
The state government has convened a one-day special session of the state legislature for tabling and further consideration of this special Bill.
The bill for the 10 per cent Maratha quota that the Mahayuti government of Eknath Shinde has approved on Tuesday is similar to the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act, 2018, introduced by the then Devendra Fadnavis government.
This is the third time in a decade that the state has introduced legislation for the Maratha quota.
"I am the CM of the state and I work with the blessings of all. We don't think on the basis of caste or religion. If such a situation comes with any other community, my stand as CM will be similar to what is my stand for the Maratha community. Our PM always says Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas," Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said.
"We all are of similar views here on the Maratha reservation so I will not make may political statement here. With the co-operation of you all, we could do it. I kept my promise which I made to the Maratha community. I thank all my colleagues including my both DCMs and other ministers. Today is a day of fulfilment of our promises," Shinde added after tabling the bill.
"Our aim was to work on a war footing, day and night, to bring this issue to a proper conclusion. The Maharashtra government is fully committed to giving reservation to the Marathas and today we are doing this. Devendra ji and Ajit Pawar ji always used to tell me that by whatever means we have to give reservation to the Maratha community. Devendra ji had once given reservation to the Maratha community while being the Chief Minister and that reservation was also upheld in the High Court. But unfortunately for some reason it was struck down by the honorable Supreme Court" the CM further stated.
"Therefore, this time we have reconstituted the Backward Classes Commission and conducted a survey as per the order of the Supreme Court and after collecting the necessary data, we are now planning to give them reservation. We have tried to fulfil the rules and regulations in every way and now we are ready to give this reservation," he added.
The reservation has been extended based on a report submitted to the state government by the Maharashtra Backward Class Commission (MBCC) headed by chairman Justice (Retired) Sunil Shukre.
The state already has a 10 per cent quota for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) in which the Marathas are the biggest beneficiaries, claiming about 85 per cent of those.
The Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission on Friday submitted a report on the social and educational backwardness of the Maratha community for which it had undertaken a survey of around 2.5 crore homes within only nine days.
The committee proposed a 10 per cent reservation for Marathas in education and jobs, similar to that of the previous bill brought in 2018 by the then-state government.