Vijayapura: Former Corporator of the Maratha community and General Secretary of the Maratha Samaj Rahul Jadhav, on Friday, thanked Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa for announcing the establishment of the Maratha Development Corporation (MDC) and earmarking Rs 50 crores for the purpose.
Reacting to the backlash regarding the setting up of the MDC, he clarified that the corporation is not being formed for the development of the Marathi language, but for the welfare of the members of the Maratha community.
He added that although they are from the Maratha community, they were born and raised in Karnataka, making it their motherland for generations. “The Kannada language, culture, and tradition is ours. However, some people are trying to project the Maratha community as anti-Kannada and anti-Karnataka, which is baseless and wrong,” he said in a press release.
Arguing that there are many Maratha families in Karnataka facing financial issues and are socio-economically weak, he said the corporation will help them in a better way.
Jadhav then lashed out at a few pro-Maratha organizations operating in certain areas like Belagavi, for creating a wrong image of Marathas and for going against Kannada and the culture for political mileage.
“It is regrettable that there are some who are trying to project all Marathas in Karnataka as anti-Kannadiga,” he added.
Jadhav also took exception to some leaders in Maharashtra for often raising the border issue and demanding that Belagavi be given to them.
“We strongly condemn such statements and do not support such demands. Belagavi is an integral part of Karnataka and will never be given to Maharashtra,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Jadhav also urged the government to provide reservation for the Maratha community under 2A category.
The statement was signed by Vijay Chavan, Prabhakar Bhosle, Bhimashankar Shivalkar, Shankar Kanase, Tanaji Jadhav, Vithal Chavan, Raju Mane, Vijaykumar Ghatage, Hariba More, Sanjay Jahav, Gajanad Chavan, Dipak Kale and Vijay Pawar, all members of the Maratha community.
