Mumbai: A state government delegation led by Girish Mahajan, Uday Samant, Atul Save and Gopichand Padalkar on Friday met OBC activists Laxman Hake and Navnath Waghmare and urged them to end their fast, which entered the ninth day. The activists are protesting against the Maratha reservation from the OBC quota and are opposed to activist Manoj Jarange's demand for implementation of the draft notification that recognises Kunbis as “sage soyare” (blood relatives) of Maratha community members. Later, Padalkar said a meeting between a delegation of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) community and the government has been organised in Mumbai.
Both these leaders demanded that the government should make it clear about sage-soyare and 8 lakh objections registered on the Maratha notification by the people. The government should release a white paper about how many Kunbi names are mentioned in government records. Demand has also been made to know whether the sage-soyare definition is mentioned in Hindu law, Muslim personal law, Christian law, Parsi law and in any Indian law.
Waghmare said that their protest will continue till the government gives in writing that the OBC reservation won't be disturbed. “The government says it will implement 'sage soyare' notification. But it also says the OBC reservation won't be affected. Someone is telling the truth and someone is not,” he said.
After holding talks with the agitators, the delegation also met CM Eknath Shinde and DCM Devendra Fadanvis at Sahyadri guest house in the evening. Along with the OBC delegation Chhagan Bhujbal, Uday Samant, Dhananjay Munde, Atul Save, Girish Mahajan, Sanjay Bansode, Pankaja Munde, Gopichand Padalkar and Prakash Shende were also present.
According to sources, the government has called an all-party meeting on June 29 to discuss the OBC issue. As per a media report, OBC leader Prakash Shende has demanded that notification of sage soyare and reservation to Marathas from OBC quota should be cancelled.
Agitators are also seeking an inquiry into the basis of 54 lakh new names included in the OBC records. The government should explain how OBC reservations don't get affected due to notification. demanded by the delegation, they asked.
While speaking to the media, Cabinet minister Chhagan Bhujbal said, “There were 7-8 ministers in the meeting. Tomorrow we will go to Jalna and convey what has been discussed and decided in the meeting to Hake and Waghmare. Shinde and Fadanvis were positive about the OBC demand. All party meetings will be held on June 29 on the OBC reservation issue and ensure that the rights of both communities will be saved. We put the demand to take action against the fake certificate receiver and giver.
