Mumbai, Aug 28 (IANS) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said the government will consider the interest of both Maratha and OBC communities, and there is no question of doing injustice to anyone, as the government will solve the problems of both the communities.

“The OBC community should also remember that the government will not allow injustice to be done to them. Also, the government has solved all the problems of the Maratha community. Tell me, who else has solved them? When I was the Chief Minister and Eknath Shinde was the Chief Minister, the problems were solved and we will solve them in future too,” he assured.

He was speaking to reporters at a time when the pro-Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange-Patil was marching with a large number of his followers to Mumbai to launch his indefinite fast from August 29 to demand reservation for the Maratha community from the OBC quota.

Jarange-Patil has declared that the permission granted by the Mumbai police for holding a protest for a day was not acceptable to him, as he would sit on an indefinite fast until the government accepts all its demands.

CM Fadnavis said, “The state government has given reservation to the Maratha community, and it has been upheld in court. In a democracy, we have the right to raise our issues and protest. As long as any protest is conducted democratically, we have no problem. We will solve the problem through discussion. One thing is for sure: a reservation has been given to the Maratha community.”

On Jarange-Patil’s resolve to hold an indefinite fast, CM Fadnavis said, “We expect that no protest should go outside the framework of democracy. If the protest is carried out by following the rules and norms, we have nothing to say.”

The chief minister further stated, “Now they (Jarange-Patil)are demanding reservation to the Maratha community from the OBC quota. The government has already provided 10 per cent separate reservation to the Maratha community.”

According to the Chief Minister, there are about 350 castes in the OBC. “Suppose if we look at medical admissions, the cutoff of OBC is above SEBC (Socially and Educationally Backward Classes), and the cutoff of SEBC is above EWS. If we look at the statistics carefully, we will realise what is in the interest of the Maratha community. It is also the responsibility of the leaders of the Maratha community to study the interests of the Maratha community and make demands. Political reservation will not be provided. If there is a social or job reservation, then it can be considered,” he said.

CM Fadnavis remarked that the media is now seeing that the movement (pro Maratha reservation) is becoming political.

“Some political parties are trying to benefit themselves by putting a gun on their (Jarange-Patil)shoulders, but they will not benefit; they will suffer. The government (Maha Vikas Aghadi government)that was in the state for two and a half years should show one decision taken for the interest of the Maratha community. It cannot be shown,” he claimed.

–IANS

sj/dan