Lok Sabha: Vinayak Raut pitches for Maratha, backward communities reservation in Maharashtra

New Delhi: Shiv Sena (UBT) member in Lok Sabha Vinayak Raut on Wednesday pressed for reservation for the Maratha community and various socially and educationally backward castes in Maharashtra.

Participating in a debate on Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, Raut said that just like socially and educationally backward communities in Jammu and Kashmir were being given reservation through the bills, the Union Home Ministry should bring legislation for the benefit of Maratha, Dhangar and Mahadev Koli communities of Maharashtra.

"The Maratha, Dhangar and Mahadev Koli communities have been seeking reservation for the last 25 years. I request (Home Minister) Amit Shah to give them reservation and bring a bill in Parliament to give them justice," Raut said.

In her speech, TMC's Pratima Mondal recalled her visit to Kashmir and some parts of Ladakh, saying in the Kargil market the only picture that could be seen was that of Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini.

"After crossing the Kargil war memorial, when we were approaching Kargil market suddenly I noticed a big picture and in the market, almost in every shop and nook and corner, I found that picture.

"That was not the picture of our honourable Prime Minister or honourable President. We found one and only one picture and that was of Mr Khomeini. Not a single tricolour we found there, except in military camps. We didn't feel we were in India," Mandal said.

Religious organisation Imam Khomeini Memorial Trust', named after the former supreme leader of Iran, is located in Kargil-Ladakh.