Mumbai: Uddhav Thackeray demands special session of Parliament to resolve Maratha reservation issue

File Photo/PTI

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray Tuesday asked the Centre to resolve the issue of Maratha reservation by calling a special session of Parliament. He said all Union ministers from Maharashtra should raise the reservation issue in the cabinet meeting.

Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, he also urged the Union ministers to resign if the (Maratha reservation) demand is not met. "This issue should be addressed by the Centre. This can only be resolved in the Lok Sabha. I have been saying this and I say this again that the government should call a special session of Parliament (to resolve the issue)," Thackeray said. "Even if a special session of the state legislature is required it should be convened," he added.

The Sena (UBT) president said there was unease in the state over the Maratha reservation issue, PTI reported.

Incidents of violence erupted in parts of Maharashtra over the past few days with the Maratha quota supporters vandalising the residences and offices of some politicians.

Activist Manoj Jarange has been on an indefinite fast since October 25 at his Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district to demand Maratha reservation.

Opposition leaders demand special assembly session to resolve Maratha quota issue

Meanwhile, Maharashtra leader of opposition Vijay Wadettiwar on Tuesday attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of making a wrong decision and giving a false assurance to the community.

The stir for quota for the Maratha community turned violent on Monday after protestors targeted the properties of politicians, and incidents of arson and vandalism were reported in Beed, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Dharashiv districts.

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Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, Wadettiwar said, "It is a fire started by the BJP, and the state has become unstable because of the wrong decision taken by the government and the false assurance it gave."

The political situation in the state has become quite serious, he said. "We have requested the governor to call for a special session of the state assembly for three to five days to find a solution to this issue," the Congress leader said.

Nationalist Congress Party leader Anil Deshmukh, in a post on X, said that the Maratha reservation issue is becoming complicated by the day. The government had assured to find a solution in 30 days, but it didn't keep its word.

The government should take this issue seriously and take concrete steps, he said.

Deshmukh demanded that the state government call a one-day session of the assembly to find a solution to the issue.

Meanwhile, members of the Sakal Maratha Samaj went on a chain hunger strike in the Gandhi Gate area of Mahal in Nagpur in solidarity with the cause.