Mumbai: The state cabinet sub-committee on Maratha reservation, led by BJP minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, met advocate general (AG) Birendra Saraf on Sunday afternoon. Late at night, the sub-committee also met CM Devendra Fadnavis at his official residence, Varsha. Saraf was also present at this meeting.Speaking about the meeting with the AG, Vikhe Patil said: “We discussed how the Hyderabad and Satara gazetteers can be implemented and how to handle the legal obstacles. The AG and Justice (retd) Sandeep Shinde, who heads a state panel on the quota, will direct us on how to go about it. The AG has sought some more time.”Vikhe Patil also urged Mumbaikars to “cooperate with the protesters and understand the problem of the Marathas”. “This is a community issue, a sensitive one, so Mumbaikars must cooperate. Protests by any community will cause some problems,” he added.Vikhe Patil said the sub-committee did not meet Jarange on Sunday, but convened a meeting to discuss the Maratha reservation issue. Among the cabinet ministers who attended the meeting were Girish Mahajan, Shivendraraje Bhonsale, and Dada Bhuse.Stressing that govt is in no hurry to placate Jarange, but is making continued efforts to reach a solution on Maratha reservation without upsetting the OBCs, the minister added: “All decisions taken must stand the scrutiny of courts…We are taking advice from legal experts. Also, if Jarange has any experts to guide us in this regard, we are ready to discuss with them too. We will arrange a meeting with him, the AG, and Justice (retd) Shinde. We have not made this a matter of prestige.”Jarange had demanded that state issue a govt resolution declaring Marathas as Kunbis based on the Hyderabad and Satara gazettes by Sunday. He had also said that he was prepared to give more time to examine the other two gazettes.Criticising NCP (SP) chief and Maratha leader from Baramati Sharad Pawar, Vikhe Patil said he was Maharashtra CM for four terms, didn’t provide reservation for his community.On the meeting of prominent OBC politicians in the city on Monday, Vikhe-Patil said govt’s stance has always been that OBC reservation will not be affected. “Jarange is demanding that either the Hyderabad or Satara gazette be implemented. It does not encroach on the reservation of OBCs. However, the 1931 Gazette will have to be studied. We are examining the Supreme Court verdict on the implementation of the Hyderabad Gazette. We will have to do everything within the framework of the law,” he added.
