Fadnavis said Maratha community members had told him that the protest was not for getting the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act repealed. “I am not against the Maratha marches and I take serious note of this protest. My only appeal to the community leaders is that they talk to the government about their demands and grievances,” Fadnavis said. On 16% reservation in government-aided educational institutes and government jobs for Marathas, Fadnavis said his government was committed to provide it and blamed the previous Congress-NCP rule for not making the reservation legally fool-proof. “We will have to create a parallel system where Maratha community is skilled and made employable in private sector also,” he said.

Source: Mint September 18, 2016 16:18 UTC