Uddhav seeks quota for Maratha community

Says Shiv Sena won't beg BJP for alliance ahead of civic polls

Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray (in picture) on Tuesday advocated reservation for the Maratha community on the basis of economic backwardness. However, if the government decides to give caste-based quota to the community, Thackeray said it should be done without disturbing reservation already provided to other communities in the state.

At the customary Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park here, he said the government should introduce a Rs 5 lakh limit to weed out the creamy layerwhile giving scholarship to students.

Taking a note of the unprecedented protest marches organised by the Maratha community, which constitutes 32 per cent of the state’s population, Thackeray extended his party's support for their demand on quota, implementation of the M S Swaminathan report to help revive agricultural growth and amendment to the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act to avoid its misuse.

Thackeray and his party came under attack after its mouthpiece Saamna recently carried a cartoon mocking the silent marches taken out by the Maratha community. Thackeray and Saamna’s executive editor tendered an apology after there were protests. However, he slammed the Congress and other rivals for creating the controversy to get political mileage.

Thackeray also reiterated that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should convene a daylong session of the state legislature to discuss reservation for the Maratha community, amendment of the Atrocities Act and providing a boost to agriculture.

On the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's One Nation One Election move, Thackeray expressed his party's opposition. However, he said if Assembly and parliamentary elections are to be held jointly then the Prime Minister and Chief Ministers of the respective states should be barred from campaigning from their party's stage. If PM and CM campaign, naturally voters will go by their assurances and vote for them while other parties may have to strive to garner support. Therefore, he suggested that PM and CM should campaign for all parties and also for independents.

As regards an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party in the ensuing election to the Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation slated for early 2017, Thackeray said the Shiv Sena will not chase BJP with a begging bowl for arriving at a seat sharing arrangement. He dared the BJP to break the tie-up if it wants. ''Don't back stab. Shiv Sena will show its surgical strike if BJP decides to go solo,'' he noted.

Thackeray asked party members not to think of the alliance between Shiv Sena and BJP for the coming civic body poll and exhorted them to work hard for the party's success. He also announced that he would visit every Shiv Sena shakha (office) across Greater Mumbai.