Maharashtra: Congress leader Nana Patole claims BJP deceiving Marathas, OBCs on reservation issue

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is deceiving the Maratha community and Other Backward Classes (OBC) over reservations, alleged Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Saturday.

The Congress leader also claimed that Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekar Bawankule and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis have different positions on the reservation issue, reported PTI.

Addressing a press conference, Nana Patole said that the Bharatiya Janata Party is deceiving the Maratha and OBC communities on reservations.

"Bawankule says reservations above 50 per cent cannot be maintained. Fadnavis says reservations above 50 per cent can be given. There are two different opinions on the reservation issue among BJP leaders. They should clarify their exact stance," said Patole.

Patole added that the Patna High Court's decision has made it clear that reservations above 50 per cent will not hold, therefore, the true face of the BJP is exposed due to the different positions of Bawankule and Fadnavis.

"Conducting a caste-wise census through social, economic, and educational surveys and removing the 50 per cent limit is the only solution to the reservation issue," the Congress leader said.

He further added that since the BJP is in power at the Centre and in Maharashtra, it should start a caste-wise census to do justice to quota demands.

Speaking to ANI, Patole said that their stand is that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government is at the Centre and they must start doing a caste-based census immediately.

"Had we come to power and Rahul Gandhi been the PM, we would have started doing a caste-based census to resolve reservation issues related to Maratha, Dhangar tribals and others to give them justice," ANI quoted Patole as saying.

OBC activists end 10-day fast

Meanwhile, activists Laxman Hake and Navnath Waghmare – who had launched the indefinite fast on June 13 as a counter to Maratha activist Manoj Jarange's demand that Marathas should get reservation in the Other Backward Class (OBC) category – on Saturday ended their hunger strike over the demand that OBC quota should not be diluted after meeting a Maharashtra government delegation.