No Muslim quota proposal before Maha govt: Uddhav Thackeray

Mumbai: There is no proposalon Muslim reservation before Maharashtra government, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said here on Tuesday.

Thackeray's remarks came days after Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik informed the Legislative Council that the state government will provide five per cent quota to Muslims in education.

The NCP minister had also said the state government will ensure that a legislation to this effect is passed soon.

"No proposal has come to me regarding Muslim reservation. We will check its validity once it comes to us.

We have not taken any decision yet on it," Thackeray told reporters at Vidhan Bhawan in south Mumbai, where the budget session of the state legislature is underway.

He also asked the BJP-led opposition to stop making a hue and cry over the issue.

"I also urge those who are creating ruckus on the issue to save your energy to use it when the issue comes up for discussion. The issue has not come up yet. The Shiv Sena has not clarified its position yet. Let us see when the proposal comes up," Thackeray said.

"When the issue comes upbefore the government, we will check the legal validity and take a decision.My stand as well as that of Shiv Sena will be decided when the issue comes before us," Thackeray said.

On his wife Rashmi Thackeray's appointment as editor of party mouthpiece Saamana, Thackeray said he had to quit the editor's post after the chief ministership "unexpectedly" came to him.

"Saamana, Shiv Sena and Thackeray can't be separated.

We are one family. With Rashmi becoming editor, there were speculations if the language of the paper will change. I want to tell that the language will remain the same. Editorial responsibility will continue to be handled by Sanjay Raut.

"Saamana is Shiv Sena's mouthpiece. The paper will continue to reflect the party's stand and my views. There will beeditorial freedom too," he said.

"The sort of language used in Saamana is our paternal language and it will remain the same. Dont say later that Rashmi Thackeray criticised Uddhav Thackeray. It could be the subject of some peoples interest. But most of the views expressed are mine, that of the Shiv Sena and beyond that, there is also this freedom of the press. Hence, Sanjay Raut has been discharging the editorial duty very well and he willcontinue to do that," he

said.