As Maratha reservation row has intensified in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has called an all-party meeting to resolve the issue. According to the information, the meeting will be held at ‘Sahyadri Guest House’ on Monday, September 11.
Earlier on September 7, CM Shinde expressed commitment to provide reservations to Marathas as the state government renewed its appeal to quota activist Manoj Jarange to end his 10-day-old fast launched over the issue in Jalna district.
Anil Deshmukh demands action
Meanwhile, former Maharashtra minister Anil Deshmukh has disagreed with Jarange’s demand for action against the cops who baton-charged protesters in Jalna district, stressing that those who gave the orders to use force must be held accountable.
The Maratha quota matter snowballed into a major challenge for the state government after the police last week baton-charged a violent mob at Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district when protesters allegedly refused to let authorities shift Jarange to hospital. Several persons, including 45 police personnel, were injured and more than 15 state transport buses were set ablaze in the violence.
How agitation turned violent?
According to officials, police baton charged and lobbed tear gas shells on September 1 to disperse protesters in Antarwali Sarathi on Dhule-Solapur road in Jalna after they allegedly refused to let authorities shift a man on hunger strike for Maratha quota to hospital, according to officials. The agitation turned violent as some people targeted state transport buses and private vehicles, police said. However villagers claimed that police fired some rounds in the air, but officials did not confirm it.
Earlier on Monday, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut sought to know who ordered the lathi-charge on protesters demanding Maratha quota in Jalna district. Speaking to reporters, Raut asked, “Who made a call from the office of Chief Minister and state home minister without an order from top officials? The local police will never resort to lathi-charge and open fire. We want to know who gave those invisible orders over a phone call.”
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