Shiv Sena MLA criticises party for not backing Maratha reservations

Shiv Sena MLA Harshvardhan Jadhav criticised his party chief Uddhav Thackeray for not supporting him for the Maratha reservations demand. Jadhav said that his party chief and other senior Sena leaders Eknath Shinde told him to not speak in support of Maratha reservations.

Jadhav was a MLA from Kannad who had recently submitted his resignations to Maharashtra state assembly speaker Haribhau Bagade over the demand of Maratha reservations.

"People are killing themselves and I should not speak on reservations. What is this? My party in stead of supporting me, they are telling not to speak on Maratha reservations. If I will not speak and other people should also keep mum. I will not tolerate it. Besides, our community youths are also dying. Police are slapping the riot likes criminal cases against our innocent youths who had participated in agitations. The solution to this situations is to bring our own rule. I kindly request to our community people, do not kill themselves. Please think on my given proposal. It is my individual opinion. But the conveners of Maratha Kranti Morcha should at least discuss on this proposal. We need to get elect own MPs and MLAs in upcoming Lok Sabha and assembly elections," Jadhav said.

Speaking with his supporters, Jadhav said that he was very frustrated and decided to meet his party chief Uddhav Thackeray to press the reservations demand. "But could not met him. I also called chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and told him that if he is really serious about stopping the Maratha community youths suicides, the ordinance for the reservations should be immediately issued. However, CM Fadnavis could not also assured me about the time bond programme for the reservations. They told me that unless they receive the backward commission report, they will not able to call the special session of Maharashtra State assembly and pass the Maratha reservations bill," Jadhav said.

He further said that after talking with all ruling party leaders, "I had come to conclusion that they are not in frame of mind to give reservations to Maratha community. If we really want to solve our problems and want the reservations, then we have to keep aside all these existing political party and need to come up with our own political outfit. We are agitating for long time, sacrificing the lives of youth but the government is not concerned about our demand," Jadhav said.

"We may be the largest community but the political power is not in our hand. We as individual had limitations. Therefore, we should have our own political outfits. We elect our MLAs and MPs with the support of the Maratha community, but once they get elected, they are no more work for the community. But they work for their party and their party people. Therefore, we need our own party that can work for the welfare of our community," Jadhav said.