Maratha quota issue: Mete attacks Maha govt, Pawar

Shiv Sangram party leader Vinayak Mete on Monday blamed the Uddhav Thackeray government for the interim stay granted by the supreme court on the implementation of reservation for Marathas in education and jobs in Maharashtra.

Shiv Sangram party leader Vinayak Mete on Monday blamed the Uddhav Thackeray government for the interim stay granted by the supreme court on the implementation of reservation for Marathas in education and jobs in Maharashtra. Mete claimed a resident of Borgao village in Latur district had tried to kill himself by drinking poison after the top court stayed the 2018 quota law.

Speaking to reporters, Mete said Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, NCP president Sharad Pawar and Congress minister Ashok Chavan were responsible for the adverse SC order. "Till date, the Sena government didn't hold a single meeting of stake-holders. We were ready to cooperate in the matter. But, the governments neither talked to us nor sought any help," he said.

The Shiv Sangram chief alleged the government had replaced a team of lawyers appointed by the previous government to present it in the apex court. "NCP supremo Sharad Pawar who commands respect in the Maratha community also didn't pay attention to the issue," Mete alleged.