NAGPUR: Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said that the proposed all-party meeting at Mumbai in the evening on the contentious issue of reservation would try to build a broad consensus.
"Few issues are beyond the realm of the political parties and need to be resolved with a consensus of all stakeholders in a democratic set up. The all party meeting would try to reach a broad consensus which would benefit the society at large. We would discuss the demands of all communities with all the leaders," he said while interacting with the media on the sidelines of Shashan Aplya Dari (Government at Your doorstep)’ programme in Nagpur.
Clarifying the Maharashtra government's stand over the contentious issue of reservation, the deputy CM said they would not allow two communities to confront each other over it.
"We need to make a collective thinking over demands made by activist Manoj Jarange Patil and also by other Maratha bodies. Chief minister Eknath Shinde had already spoken to Patil (on protest since many days) on his demands. He has all the right to protest in a democratic way", he said.
Pointing out that the government needed to find a solution within ambit of law, the Southwest Nagpur MLA said it also needs to take into consideration the Supreme Court’s decisions on the issue in the past.
"If we take any decision which was stayed by the central government or the top court, the people will blame us for cheating them. Efforts are on to take a decision which would stand in the judiciary and benefit all", he said.
Assuring the OBC community that no injustice would be meted out to them, the deputy CM said the people should remove any such apprehension from their minds.
"The BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP government never had any intention to reduce the OBC quota and to grant it to others. We will not dilute it and no one should try to create confusion among the two communities. All leaders should also take care that they should not make any provocative statements that would hurt others," he said.
