'Corrupt' Maharashtra govt failed to resolve Maratha reservation issue: Supriya Sule

Nationalist Congress Party Sharad Pawar faction leader Supriya Sule on Wednesday hit out at the Eknath Shinde-led dispensation, saying the Maratha reservation issue has remained unresolved due to the failure of the corrupt and bogus Maharashtra government. Speaking to reporters here, Sule said, It is the failure of the state government to address the issues of the Maratha community.

Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) leader Supriya Sule on Wednesday hit out at the Eknath Shinde-led dispensation, saying the Maratha reservation issue has remained unresolved due to the ''failure'' of the ''corrupt and bogus'' Maharashtra government. Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange has been on an indefinite hunger strike at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district since October 25 to press for the demand for quota to the community. As violence erupted in some parts of the state in the last couple of days over the issue, the state government on Wednesday held an all-party meeting in Mumbai to hold talks. Speaking to reporters here, Sule said, ''It is the failure of the state government to address the issues of the Maratha community. It is this corrupt and bogus triple-engine government that is consistently lying to the people and continues to do so.'' She was responding to a query about the violence in parts of the state during the Maratha quota agitation. ''It was the generosity of Maratha activist Manoj Jarange who gave an additional 10 days to the government when it was seeking 30 days (to implement a quota for the community). What was the government thinking when it sought 30 days?'' the Baramati MP said. ''There are some 200 MLAs with the government and 300 members of the BJP in the Lok Sabha, but still they are not solve this issue,'' Sule added. Jarange, who had earlier sat on an indefinite fast in the last week of August, called off his protest on September 14 after CM Eknath Shinde assured to take steps to fulfil his demand for quota to the Maratha community. At that time, Jarange had set a 30-day deadline before the government to fulfil his demand, but later extended it by 10 days. His deadline set before the government ended on October 24.