Maratha stir: Uddhav Thackeray calls for calm, Sena MLAs to meet Fadnavis

Mumbai, July 30: Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday urged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to convene a special session of the Assembly to discuss the Maratha issue.

Shiv Sena chief said that party MLAs would be meeting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to discuss the reservation issues today.

Thackeray took to Twitter and urged that calm be maintained. "Maratha society should give up its aggressiveness and should not be violent anywhere," he urged.

"All the MLAs of Shiv Sena will meet Chief Minister Devendra Fanadvis today. Considering all the demands of the community, let's take a firm decision about it."

Marathas have been agitating over the demand of 16 percent reservation in government jobs and education for over a week now.

An all-party meeting was also convened on Saturday by the state government to discuss the quota issue. The BJP-led government has faced criticism over its handling of the state-wide agitation, which turned violent in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and parts of Marathwada this week.

Early this week, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut had claimed that there were "talks within the BJP" to replace Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, a claim denied by senior party ministers. There were no discussions within the BJP on replacing Fadnavis, the source said, adding that the CM was "adequately capable" of handling the ongoing protests, reported PTI.

The government's stand on the Maratha community's demand for reservation in government jobs and educational institutes has been that the issue is pending before the Bombay High Court.