Maratha reservation row: President Droupadi Murmu issued a summon to Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) MP Hemant Patil, asking him to appear on December 4 at 11 am in Lok Sabha.
Patil, who represents the Hingoli Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra, on October 29 announced his resignation in support of the ongoing movement in Maharashtra, which is demanding reservation for the Maratha community. He sent his resignation to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on the issue of Maratha reservation in the state.
After his resignation, Hemant Patil stayed away from all parliamentary meetings and work.
Patil resignation letter
On October 29, Hemant Patil met the Maratha activists who were protesting in the Pofali Sugar Factory area in support of the reservation movement. During this meeting, he wrote a letter addressed to the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
In his letter, Patil wrote that the issue of the Maratha reservation has been pending for several years, and the emotions of society regarding reservation are very intense. He stated that he is a dedicated worker for the Maratha community and farmers. On the issue of reservation, he is resigning from his position. " I am an activist fighting for Maratha society and farmers. I am resigning from my post on the issue of reservation," he said.
Maratha quota agitation
The Maratha community has been staging protests and demonstrations to demand reservation in government jobs and educational institutions under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. The agitation intensified after quota activist Manoj Jarange sat on an indefinite fast in the last week of August, and called off his protest on September 14 after CM Eknath Shinde assured to take steps to fulfil his demand for quota to the Maratha community.
At that time, Jarange had set a 30-day deadline before the government to fulfil his demand, but later extended it. Jarange has given a new deadline to the state government to declare the reservation by December 24. He had appealed to the Maratha youth to fight for reservations peacefully and not take extreme steps.
Marathas, who constitute more than 30 per cent of the population in Maharashtra, have been demanding reservations in education and government jobs.
