The Devendra Fadnavis Government’s decision to accord reservations to Marathas had its first major backlash on Tuesday, as aggressive Muslim MLAs from different political parties created ruckus in the Maharashtra Assembly, clamouring for reservations to their community and even tried to spirit away with the Speaker's mace.
The State Assembly plunged into turmoil, as Muslim MLAs from the Congress, MIM and Samajwadi Party rushed to the well of the House and raised vociferous slogans against the BJP-led saffron alliance Govt for not granting quota to the Muslim community.
The protesting MLAs, a few of whom carried placards demanding reservations to Muslims, disrupted the proceedings in protest against the Maha Government’s failure to address the genuine concerns of the Muslim community in the State. Mocking at Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ recent statement asking the Marathas to prepare themselves for celebrations on December 1 over reservations, the placards that two of MIM MLAs read: “ Ami Kadhi celebration karachye, Mukya mantri Tariq saangha ( When should we celebrate, please tell us the date)”.
The Muslim MLAs, who upped the ante in the Assembly over reservations to their community, were Abdul Satar, Abu Azmi, Asif Shaikh, Imitaz Jaleel, Warif Phatan, Amin Patel and Aslam Shaikh.
On at least two occasions, the protesting Muslim MLAs climbed onto the Speaker’s podium, tore the official papers and tried to spirit away the mace kept there.
Unable to control the pandemonium in the House , the Speaker adjourned the Assembly on four occasions.
The protests by the Muslium MLAs in the State Assembly should be seen in the context of the fact that the previous Congress-led DF government had announced five per cent reservations to Muslims along with 16 per cent reservations in the run-up to the 2014 Assembly elections.
It may be recalled that on November 14, 2014, the Bombay High Court had stayed an ordinance promulgated by the previous Congress-led DF government ahead of the State Assembly polls extending 16 per cent reservations to Marathas and five per cent to Muslims, saying that they were not in conformity with the law laid down by the Supreme Court in three cases.
However, a HC bench, headed by Chief Justice Mohit Shah, had allowed reservations to Muslims in educational institutions, on the ground at that their educational achievements were "abysmally low" and that there was a need to draw them into the "mainstream of secular education". The court had ruled that admissions given to Muslims on the basis of such reservations this year would not be disturbed and students would be allowed to continue their courses.
With the ordinance promulgated by the DF government having lapsed, Muslims no longer enjoy any reservations in the state.
Meanwhile, speaking on the Maratha reservations issue in the Assembly, leader of the Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil of the Congress hit out at the BJP-led saffron alliance government for its failure to address the concerns of the Muslims, Dhangars, Lingayats and other backward communities who also deserved reservations. “In the case of Muslims, the high court had upheld the reservations to Muslims in education. However, this government has annulled the reservations. In the first state Cabinet meeting held after assuming the office four and a half years, the BJP-Sena government had announced that it would accord reservations to Dhangars, but it has reneged on its promise,” Vikhe-Patil said.
Vikhe-Patil said that the Fadnavis government should tabled the report by the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission (MSBCC) on the socio-economic status of the Maratha community, before announcing reservations to Muslims.
NCP leader and former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar said: “If the state government finds it difficult to table the MSBCC report in the State Assembly due to the Constitutional impediment, it need not table the report. I can assure the state government that all 288 members in the Assembly are in fovour of reservations. But, the state government should ensure reservations to Marathas without disturbing the existing 52 per cent reservation cap in the state”.