Maharashtra: Opposition, govt unite for OBCs, but spar over other issues

The BJPled Opposition on Monday cooperated with the state government on making laws to delay the local body polls that would otherwise be held without the reservation for the Other Backward Classes OBCs However they protested against the decision of disconnecting power supply to farmers and alleged police atrocities against the elected representatives forcing the curtailment of dayrsquos business in the ongoing Budget sessionGovt gets timeThe amendment to the laws that govern the urban and rural local bodies is expected to give the government time to collate empirical data for providing political quota to the OBCs The Supreme Court has rejected the interim report of the State Backward Class Commission calling it incomplete and sans study The SC wants the government to establish the regionwise political backwardness of the OBCs It asked the State Election Commission SEC to conduct polls without the OBC quota in the local bodiesThe revised law transfers some of the SECrsquos powers to the government which will now restructure the electoral wardsdivisions and also decide the reserved ones among them The structuring and restructuring if any done by the SEC till date has been annulled by the new law and the process will start afresh The government will send its recommendation to the SEC that will take the final decision like the polling scheduleMumbai where the term of the BMC ended on Monday had started ward reformation but with amended law in force the process will have to be carried out again The BMC would have its fiveyearly election and the new house in order by Monday itself but the pandemic delayed the exercise first and now the OBC quota issue will push it further aheadOpposition leader in the Assembly Devendra Fadnavis who first suggested the state has a Madhya Pradeshlike law expected the government to fulfil the task of gathering empirical data for the SCrsquos perusal ldquoWe agreed to cooperate to pass the law unanimously because it gives the government time to do what is required It should make a report to submit before the SC and facilitate the quota The countdown has begun for the governmentrdquo he said adding that the SEC will have the final authority to decide poll datesIn the Upper House Opposition MLC Vinayak Mete wanted to know whether the new law will stand the courtrsquos scrutiny ldquoThe government has taken some powers of the election commission But does it have the power to do sordquo he asked To this chairman Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar asked him to move the court Deputy Chief Minister Pawar Ajit pacified Mete saying he would discuss the doubtsThe Opposition demanded to know why electricity connections of farmers were being cut despite Pawarrsquos promise of uninterrupted supply for those who pay the latest billAggressive OppositionFadnavis narrated an incident of a young farmer from Solapur who talked live about his plight on a social media platform before taking his life The BJP leader accused the government of driving the distressed farmers to take extreme steps ldquoIf the government can give builders a discount in premium duty and reduce tax on liquor why canrsquot it help the farmersrdquo he askedState Congress president Nana Patole also demanded relief for the farmers He wondered whether the minister of state was advertising for the power company while answering the questions Energy Minister Nitin Raut took over from his junior and engaged the Opposition with his counter but the matter did not settleAccusations were also made about police atrocities against the Opposition MLAs BJPrsquos Badnera MLA Ravi Rana accused the local police of booking him for attempt to murder on the instructions of the political masters Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil dismissed the allegations of political interference but assured the House that the additional director of police law and order will probe the pressing of chargesSpeaking outside Fadnavis said the actions were nothing but vendetta politics ldquoDonrsquot let this state turn into another West Bengal Donrsquot frame the Opposition members in false casesrdquo he said decrying the police action against Union minister Narayan Rane and his MLA son Nitesh who spent nine hours at a Mumbai police stationAction against Beed copWalse Patil announced that Beed districtrsquos superintendent of police will be sent on a compulsory leave after the local NCP and BJP legislators complained of poor law and order He said the situation will be probed in 15 days The dayrsquos business did not last long as the Opposition shouted antigovernment slogans The House was adjourned after some important bills were passed amid chaos