Mumbai: It is a 'black day' for Marathas, the Maharashtra BJP said on Wednesday as it attacked the state MVA government after the Supreme Court stayed implementation of 2018 law granting quota to the community in education and jobs.
State BJP president Chandrakant Patil claimed the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress, was "not serious" in ensuring that the quota held it's ground before the apex court.
He also charged Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and NCP president Sharad Pawar with not paying attention to the matter.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the implementation of the law but made it clear that the status of those who have availed of the benefits will not be disturbed.
A three-judge bench headed by Justice L N Rao referred to a larger constitution bench, to be set up by Chief Justice of India S A Bobde, the batch of pleas questioning the validity of the law granting the reservation to Marathas.
"The MVA could not ensure the reservation held ground before the Supreme Court," Patil told reporters here. Noting that the apex court referred the batch of pleas challenging the validity of the law to a larger bench, Patil said now nobody knows when the ruling in the matter will come. Patil contended that matters referred to a larger bench in the past have remained pending for years.
"This means the stay will continue until the bench gives an order. Now there is no point in the community protesting either because nobody knows when the ruling will come. Therefore, it is a black day for the community," the BJP leader said.