Opposition stages walk-out in Maharashtra Legislative Council over non-issuance of ordinance for Muslim quota

Nagpur: Opposition members on Thursday staged a walk-out from the Maharashtra Legislative Council to protest the BJP-led government’s failure to issue an ordinance to give five percent reservations to Muslims. Sanjay Dutt (Congress), Leader of Opposition Dhananjay Munde (NCP) and others raised the issue. Minority Affairs Minister Vinod Tawde (BJP) said that a five percent reservation for Muslims in jobs and education had been introduced through an ordinance on July 9, 2014. [caption id=“attachment_2932206” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha. Representational image.[/caption] However, the Bombay High Court stayed it partially in November 2014, and the ordinance later lapased. The issue is still pending before the high court which is hearing petitions against the quota. “Hence necessary steps will be taken as per the high court’s order,” Tawde said. The reply didn’t satisfy the opposition benches. Munde and other opposition members asked why the government did not introduce a new ordinance. Tawde said reservations can not be granted on the basis of religion, but members of minority communities who fall in BC or OBC category get the benefit of quotas for these categories. There were heated exchanges in the House between the treasury and opposition benches over the issue, and opposition MLCs staged a walk-out. Later, chairman Ram Raje Nimbalkar asked the government to hold a meeting on the issue and seek the opinion of the Advocate General.