Maratha quota row: Maratha leader Manoj Jarange Patil, who is at the helm of the reservation protests in Maharashtra, gave an ultimatum to the Eknath Shinde government over his demand on Monday.
The government should issue an ordinance for reservation for the Maratha community, otherwise, we will stop drinking water supply from tomorrow, Patil asserted.
Government should not just hold meetings but take decisions, he added.
Next time if any representative from the government comes to meet us, he should bring a copy of the ordinance with him, Patil demanded.
Jarange was on hunger strike in Antarwali Saraati village of Jalna district when lathi-charge on agitators took place on Friday.
A sit-in hunger strike, led by Patil, over the demand for the Maratha reservation, began on August 29. However, the agitation turned violent on Friday after the authorities tried to shift him to a hospital. According to police, around 40 police personnel and some others were injured in the violence. The protesters pelted stones and torched at least 15 state transport buses and some private vehicles.
Government's efforts to pacify protests
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar on Monday held a press conference to pacify the ongoing stir over Maratha reservation demand. Fadnavis said a high-level probe will be conducted and the accused will be punished. I can't support lathi charge, he added.
Shinde said a high-level meeting took place today and he spoke to Patil regarding the protest in Jalna and the violence that followed.
"I told him that we are serious about the movement and are working. I sent it to many leaders and also discussed it. We saw the movement and what happened after that. Even before this many protests took place and remained peaceful. But what happened in Jalna is surprising," he added.
Maratha reservation
The reservation in jobs and education provided by the state government to the Maratha community was quashed by the Supreme Court in May 2021, citing the 50 per cent ceiling on total reservations among other grounds.
Also read: Maratha quota: Why didn't Thackeray bring ordinance, asks Fadnavis, assures action in Jalna violence
