True Leader Knows When To Protest: Uddhav Thackeray On BJP's Quota Stir

There were legal hurdles in the implementation of the Maratha quota -- quashed by the Supreme Court in May -- and a legal solution needs to be found, Maharashtra Chief Minister said.

In a veiled barb at the state BJP leadership, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said knowing what is the right moment to stage a protest and when dialogue is a better option is the hallmark of a "true leader". He was speaking at a virtual function to mark the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, the reformist ruler of the erstwhile princely state of Kolhapur. There were legal hurdles in the implementation of the Maratha quota -- quashed by the Supreme Court in May -- and a legal solution needs to be found, Mr Thackeray said. Protesting on the streets should be avoided during the COVID-19 pandemic, and "taking an appropriate decision on when to protest and when to have dialogue is the hallmark of a true leader," he said.