Urban Mirror Correspondent
New Delhi, November 19: The Lok Gathbandhan Party (LGP) today criticised the BJP government in Maharashtra for resorting to “Maratha quota” politics to salvage its fast dwindling image in the run up to 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The LGP said that plan for reservation to Maratha community, which is very well entrenched in all sectors, cannot guarantee upward mobility.
The spokesman of the party said here on Monday that the decision of the BJP government is purely political which may cause unrest among other communities. Recalling that in July last there was large-scale violence in several parts of Maharashtra over 16% reservation demand by Maratha Kranti Morcha, the spokesman said the government has now succumbed to the pressure which would further worsen the situation.
The spokesman said the Marathas are by no means a poor or oppressed class and are dominant political force in the state. Hence the demand for reservation doesnot appear to be justified. The spokesman said the reservation should be confined to SC/ST groups and economically underprivileged class. The spokesman said with 2019 Lok Sabha election the political forces have been propping such groups to serve their vested interest. The spokesman recalled that it had happened during the Gujarat assembly election when the Congress had shamelessly resorted to reservation politics and there was also violent Patidar agitation.
The spokesman questioned why dominant landowning communities like Patidars, Marathas and Jats are demanding the reservation. Moreover reservation is not panacea to the problems, the spokesman said and held the successive governments at the centre and states responsible for failing to provide balanced socio-economic growth which has led to this situation. Laying stress on reaching out to every section for socio-economic development, the spokesman said disruptive political forces over the years have resorted to short-cut route for gains, which has proved quite dangerous for the nation.
The spokesman said the LGP, firmly believing in no caste discrimination in politico-socio-economic field, has been relentlessly working in this direction by promoting every segment of the society. The spokesman said not only caste-based various political formations but also major parties have resorted to keeping the casteism alive to serve their vested interest and their slogan for social equality is just a farce.
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