Former Maharashtra Chief Minister, Ashok Chavan, has called on the state government to outline the actions it has taken over the past month in response to the Maratha community's quota demand. This request comes in the wake of the suicide of a person in Nanded district, which heightened tensions.
On Sunday, Chavan revealed, "One Shubham Pawar died by suicide in Nanded district on Sunday morning. His family members were highly agitated and sought some help. I request the state government to expedite its decision-making procedure and develop solutions for the Maratha community."
Chavan emphasised the urgency of the matter by pointing out that the number of people attending Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange's rallies has surpassed ten lakhs. He also expressed concerns that the state government has not disclosed its recent steps taken toward granting reservations to the Maratha community.
Jarange has issued an ultimatum to the state government, giving them 40 days to fulfill the quota demand, which is set to expire on Tuesday. To intensify the protest, he announced plans to commence an indefinite fast starting October 25, seeking reservations for Marathas in government jobs and educational institutions under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category.
It's worth noting that the state government has published advertisements in prominent newspapers outlining the various schemes implemented for the Maratha community. These advertisements also detail the benefits offered to the community in terms of employment and student admissions under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota.
The situation is further complicated by the recent tragedy of Maratha quota activist Sunil Kawale, whose lifeless body was found hanging from a lamp post along a flyover in Mumbai's Bandra area on October 19. Kawale left a suicide note behind, expressing the community's need for reservations.
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