New Delhi: An all-party meeting today, September 11, will discuss the future of the demand for Maratha quota in Maharashtra.A day after Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil rejected the Maharashtra government’s resolution on the demand, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar announced that the state government will convene an all-party meeting on the issue. The meeting will take place today, Pawar said.This announcement comes amidst protests by groups for and against reservation for the Maratha community. Hindustan Times has reported that across cities in Maharashtra, hunger strikes and sit-in protests are planned this week.The movement has been given fresh impetus by leader Jarange Patil’s hunger strike since August 29. On September 2, state police had attempted to forcibly admit Patil to a hospital, leading to a clash between cops and his supporters.“We have taken all efforts to end the activist’s hunger strike. Government representatives including minister Girish Mahajan met him, but he refused to end the fast. All our efforts have so far failed,” deputy CM Pawar said at a rally in Pune a day ago, according to Indian Express.While Congress, in the opposition in the state, said that it welcomes the move, it added that if the state government intends to resolve the issue “seriously,” this meeting should be convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.“After the all-party meeting, a Bill should be brought in to do away with the 50% reservation limit so that the Maratha community can get the quota during the special Parliament session… There is a need to increase the reservation limit,” Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe said.Londhe claimed that the fact that the Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Union is not increasing this limit is indicative of electoral politics and its decision to play Other Backward Class voters against Marathas.Shiv Sena (Uddhav Bal Thackeray) spokesperson and MP Sanjay Raut said party leader Ambadas Danve will attend the all-party meeting.
