Maha Vikas Aghadi exploited Maratha community for political gains: Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 18 (ANI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has criticized the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government for its handling of the Maratha reservation issue. He claimed that the MVA's failure to present necessary evidence in the Supreme Court led to the rejection of the reservation.
He added that instead of granting the reservation, the Maha Vikas Aghadi exploited the Maratha community for political gains, which he called "unfortunate".
In an exclusive interview with ANI, Shinde said, "The Maratha community is socially and educationally backward, and economically backward as well. When Devendra Ji was in power, and I was also part of that government, the Maratha reservation was granted and validated by the High Court. Unfortunately, the government changed, and the Maha Vikas Aghadi government came in. The Maha Vikas Aghadi failed to present the necessary evidence in the Supreme Court to prove the backwardness of the Maratha community, which led to the rejection of the reservation...The same people who had the power to grant the reservation went to the High Court. They did not give the reservation but instead used the Maratha community for political purposes. This is unfortunate."
Shinde also said that the conflict between OBCs and Marathas is not good for Maharashtra. He emphasized that his government aims to benefit the Maratha community without harming the OBC community.
"The conflict between OBCs and Marathas is not good for Maharashtra. Therefore, while granting reservations to the Maratha community, we provided them with facilities that they never had before. Our government is focused on benefiting the Maratha community without harming the OBC community. Both communities should benefit so that they can live together and progress in Maharashtra; this is our approach," he told ANI.
He also claimed that the issue of reservations that affected the NDA and our alliance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections will not have the same impact in the Vidhan Sabha elections, as Vidhan Sabha elections are localized and state-level and do not concern central issues.
"The issue of reservations that affected the NDA and our alliance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections will not have the same impact in the Vidhan Sabha elections... Vidhan Sabha elections are localized and state-level; they do not concern central issues. Constitutional matters will not be discussed in state elections. The reservations granted by the Constitution cannot be altered by the state government, so these issues will not be repeated," Maharashtra Chief Minister said.
The elections to 288 assembly constituencies are scheduled to take place later this year.
The Maratha community has been demanding reservations as Other Backward Classes (OBCs) for decades.
The Maratha Reservation Bill was passed on February 20. This bill aims to provide a 10 per cent quota for the Maratha community in education and government jobs. (ANI)