"Need Of Hour To Ensure Maratha Quota Demand Fulfilled": Sharad Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday alleged the inaction by the Maharashtra and Central governments on the Maratha quota issue has led to unrest in the community.

Speaking at a function, Mr Pawar said the demand of Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange should be accepted without hurting the interests of other communities.

The NCP chief said he had met Mr Jarange when he had observed a fast last month and understood the demands raised by him.

Maharashtra and Central governments didn't take immediate decision on the Maratha quota issue which triggered unrest in the community, he alleged.

"As a party too, our stand is clear. Jarange's demand should be met without hurting the interests of other communities. The need of the hour is to ensure that the quota demand is fulfilled in a proper way," Mr Pawar said.

Maratha community has been staging protests seeking reservation in the government jobs and education under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.

The agitation intensified after quota activist Manoj Jarange sat on an indefinite fast from October 25 as part of the second phase of the protest. On his appeal, many villages have banned the entry of political leaders. Jarange has announced that fast-unto-death protests will begin in villages across Maharashtra from Sunday if the state government fails to act on the pending demand of the Maratha community.

The Maharashtra government's stated position is that it is committed to granting the reservation to the Maratha community which stands legal scrutiny.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)