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Renewed demand for Muslim Quota as Maratha Reservation Bill passes House

The Maharashtra Government had convened a day-long Special Session of the Assembly to pass the Maratha Reservation Bill. Read More

Tuesday February 20, 2024 9:36 PM , ummid.com News Network

[Holding a banner outside Maharashtra Assembly, SP MLAs Abu Asim Azmi and Rais Shaikh demanding implementation of Muslim Reservation in the state.]

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Assembly Tuesday Feb 20, 2024 saw a renewed demand for implementation of the Muslim Quota after it unanimously passed the controversial ‘Maratha Reservation Bill’.

The Maharashtra Government had convened a day-long Special Session of the Assembly to pass the Maratha Reservation Bill.

Lone voice of dissent

During the session, there was one dissenting voice that of senior NCP leader and Minister Chhagan Bhujbal who registered his objection but later voted in favour of the Bill.

Bhujbal, a leader of the OBCs, is opposing Maratha reservation under the 27% OBC quota.

The Maratha Quota Bill was tabled in the assembly following protests, including hunger strike by some activists from the Marathas, demanding quota for the community.

Under the newly passed legislation, the Marathas – one of the dominant and powerful communities in Maharashtra, will be granted 10 per cent reservation in Education and Government Jobs.

The Bill titled “Maharashtra State Socially and Educationally Backward Bill 2024” was tabled in the state assembly by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and was immediately passed unanimously.

Chief Minister Shinde will now table the bill in the Maharashtra Legislative Council for assent, after which it will become a law.

Demand for Muslim Reservation

The Members of the Legislative Assembly belonging to all political parties, including Owaisi’s All India Majlis –e- Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and Samajwadi Party (SP), supported the bill giving 10 per cent reservation to the Marathas.

The AIMIM and SP MLAs however demanded the implementation of 5% reservation to the Muslims in the state a bill for which was passed by the Maharashtra Assembly first in 2014 and later in 2020.

Talking to reporters outside the Maharashtra Assembly, SP MLAs Abu Asim Azmi and Rais Shaikh, and AIMIM MLAs Mufti Ismael amd Farook Shah, said they supported the Maratha reservation bill but the government must also implement Muslim quota.

“Muslims have no objection to Maharashtra government giving reservation to the Maratha community. But, it should also grant reservation to Muslims a legislation for which was passed earlier”, SP MLA Abu Asim Azmi said.

#WATCH: Reservation for Muslims in Maharashtra: Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi tears up the ordinance. pic.twitter.com/Fal702PRkm

— IANS (@ians_india) February 20, 2024

“The Bombay High Court too has ordered that 5% Reservation in Education should be given to the Muslim community. But the government is silent on this. This is blatant injustice”, he added.

Interestingly, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar had in September 2023 also said that there was no hurdle in implementing 5% reservation for Muslims in Maharashtra.

He also said a decision in this regard will be taken after a discussion with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

 

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