The Maharashtra Congress has demanded that a special session of the state legislature be held for discussing the 14 deaths due to sunstroke in April while attending the 'Maharashtra Bhushan’ award event in the Kharghar area of Navi Mumbai.
The party also wants the government to pay heed to the protests against a proposed oil refinery at Barsu in Ratnagiri district.
A Congress delegation made the demand to governor Ramesh Bais during a meeting with him at the Raj Bhavan on Tuesday.
What is Congress saying?
Speaking to reporters after meeting the governor on Tuesday, state Congress president Nana Patole alleged the incident that took place in Kharghar during the 'Maharashtra Bhushan' award ceremony was a "state-sponsored murder" and to date, no case has been registered in this connection.
"Poor planning of the government was responsible for the incident. It should be investigated by a high court judge," he said.
Patole also claimed that the Barsu refinery project was being imposed by the government on locals despite their opposition.
What is happening in Ratnagiri?
A section of residents in and around Barsu in Ratnagiri have been opposing the proposed refinery as they fear the mega project will adversely affect the fragile biodiversity of the coastal Konkan region and also hit their livelihood.
He further claimed that the state government was using police force to oppress the locals and it wants to destroy the pristine environment of Konkan.
Patole further said farmers have suffered losses due to unseasonal rains and hailstorms and they should be given immediate help. The cultivators have been devastated by the weather change and the rate of farmer suicides has increased in the state, he said.
The Congress leader said they have demanded that the governor call a special session of the legislature to discuss all these issues.
The delegation included former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan and state Congress working president Naseem Khan.
Chavan said during the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government (which comprised the then undivided Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress), the Maratha Reservation Sub-Committee chairman had demanded that the 50 per cent quota ceiling be relaxed. It is not possible to give reservations to the Maratha community without increasing the reservation ceiling from the current 50 per cent. This issue was also raised by MPs in Parliament but the Narendra Modi government did not take a decision on it, he said.
Chavan added that a curative petition will also yield nothing. In Chhattisgarh, 58 per cent reservation is now being implemented.
Along the lines of Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra should also get the benefit of reservation to the Maratha community. The governor should inform the central government about this, he added.
(with PTI inputs)
