Don't approve of Maharashtra govt's decision on Maratha quota: Union minister Rane
Mumbai (PTI): Union minister Narayan Rane on Sunday said he does not agree with the Maharashtra government's decision to give all benefits enjoyed by the OBCs to Marathas till they get reservation.
It would be an encroachment on the (rights of) other backward communities and could lead to an unrest in Maharashtra, Rane, the former chief minister of the state, said in a post on X.
Activist Manoj Jarange on Saturday called off his indefinite fast for Maratha quota after the Maharashtra government accepted his demands, with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announcing that till Marathas get reservation, they will be given all the benefits enjoyed by the OBCs.
A draft notification was issued by the government following negotiations with Jarange, stating that blood relatives of a Maratha person, who has records to show that he belongs to the agrarian Kunbi community, would also be recognised as Kunbi.
Rane in a post on X said he does not approve of the state government's decision and assurance to the Maratha community regarding the reservation.
"It will lead to suppression of the Maratha community that has a historical legacy and it will also be an encroachment on the other backward communities," he said.
"It could lead to an unrest in the state," Rane said, adding he will speak on the issue on Monday also.
Notably, Maharashtra cabinet minister Chhagan Bhujbal has also expressed dissatisfaction over the state government's decision and questioned the "backdoor entry" of Marathas into the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.
Kunbi, an agrarian community, falls in the OBC category, and Jarange, who is spearheading the agitation for reservation for the Marathas since last August, has been demanding Kunbi certificates for all Marathas.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has tried to assuage concerns of the OBCs, stating that Marathas would not get Kunbi caste certificate without any proof.
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Trump says he ‘hasn’t even thought about’ continuing Iran ceasefire
Washington: US President Donald Trump has said he has not yet considered whether he would continue the ceasefire involving Iran, while also claiming the United States holds the advantage in negotiations.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said he was prepared to make a deal with “whoever is running the show” in Iran.
“They are fighting with each other, there’s tremendous infighting. They’re probably fighting for leadership in many cases. I think they’re fighting not to be leader because we knocked out two levels of leaders,” he said.
Trump added, “When they want they can call me. We have all the cards, we’ve won everything.”
Referring to ongoing negotiations, he said, “They gave us a paper that should’ve been better. And, interestingly, immediately when I cancelled it [envoy trip to Pakistan], within 10 minutes we got a new paper that was much better.”
“We talked about they will not have a nuclear weapon, very simple … They offered a lot, but not enough,” he added.
When asked whether he would continue the ceasefire, Trump replied, “I haven’t even thought about it.”
The remarks come as uncertainty remains over the future of the temporary truce and broader negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
