Maharashtra: Maratha quotas issue re-ignites, protests spread to more districts

The pro-quotas stir by some Maratha groups which took a violent turn on Friday, spread to more districts with agitations in Solapur, Aurangabad, Nagpur and other cities

Mumbai: The pro-quotas stir by some Maratha groups which took a violent turn on Friday, spread to more districts with agitations in Solapur, Aurangabad, Nagpur and other cities of Maharashtra.

Protestors squatted and blocked the Solapur-Pune Highway, vociferous agitations were held in Nagpur, Aurangabad, and a call was given for a shutdown in Beed and Jalna today. The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Nationalist Congress Party (SP) have slammed the ruling Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party-Nationalist Congress Party (AP) allies for the violence and unprovoked police actions.

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Taking strong note, NCP President Sharad Pawar started for Jalna from Mumbai to a spot assessment of the situation, while Congress Leader Of Opposition Vinay Wadettiwar and Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje visited Jalna, and Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut blamed the government for the violence and police caning.

On September 1 evening, thousands of protestors demanding reservations in jobs and education for Marathas gathered at the Antarvali-Sarathi village in Ambad region, where the Maratha Morcha convenor, Manoj Jarange and others were sitting on a hunger-strike since Tuesday (August. 29).

As Jarange’s condition seemed to deteriorate, a police posse attempted to break up the agitation and compel him to break his hunger strike which apparently enraged his supporters. In the ensuing melee the police allegedly attempted to disperse the crowds with stern warnings which went unheeded and the people allegedly pelted stones. The police retaliated by caning the protestors, bursting teargas and even chasing away the protestors, leading to at least two dozen persons getting injured, including some policemen.

The angry protestors ran off from the spot and later torched at least two buses on the outskirts of the village, and later there were reports of arson from Aurangabad, and more protests in other districts today. Congress state President Nana Patole has demanded that if the government cannot ensure quotas for Marathas, then CM Eknath Shinde should resign. Aam Aadmi Party and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray have also slammed the government for the violence that erupted last evening. The MVA has termed the violence as reportedly instigated to divert attention from the National Opposition parties INDIA Conclave that was just concluding in Mumbai last evening.