Government seeking legal opinion on quota for Muslims: CM Fadnavis

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday accused the Opposition of indulging in vote bank politics over Muslim reservation issue, and said that the government is taking legal opinion on whether to promulgate an ordinance for quota to the minority community.

"The issue of reservation is still in courts and only an interim order has been given. There is no verdict yet in the case. We will go by the constitutional framework," Fadnavis told the state Assembly.

Holding that the opposition has no real concern for the Muslim community except for garnering their votes, he sought to know what they did when the Wakf land in the state was illegally given away to private parties.

Stating that the government was in the process of seeking legal opinion on the issue, he said verdicts given by the Supreme Court and the High Court on the matter had often been conflicting.

Fadnavis said the government had made it clear that the Muslim students who had already gained admission in educational institutions under the quota could continue their studies, adding that students from the community had already got admitted to seven per cent of the seats.

The issue, raised by Opposition Leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil through an adjournment notice, generated heated exchange in the House, resulting in a brief adjournment. Patil said the five per cent reservation had been upheld by the High Court and wanted the government to enact a legislation on the matter. Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse wondered why the Congress and the NCP had never felt the need for reservation for Muslims when they had been in power.