Maratha Quota Protest HIGHLIGHTS: Internet To Be Shut In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Over Violence Fear
Maratha Reservation Protest HIGHLIGHTS: Follow this space for all the live and latest updates related to the Maratha quota protests that have taken a violent turn in parts of Maharashtra.
Internet to be shut down in most parts of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district due to fear of violence over the Maratha quota protests.
After the all-party meeting on the Maratha reservation, Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde says, "...I request Manoj Jarange Patil to have faith in the efforts of the government...This protest has started taking a new direction...Common people should not feel insecure. I request all to maintain peace and cooperate with the state government..."
In all-party meeting called by the Maharashtra government, all political parties stand with the state government on providing Maratha reservation, reports ANI.
The all-party meet on the Maratha reservation row, chaired by CM Eknath Shinde, has ended.
The Beed administration on Wednesday lifted the curfew imposed in parts of the district after violence during the Maratha quota agitation on Monday, officials said, reported PTI.
However, they added that prohibition orders will continue in the district, located in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra and Internet services are still shut to maintain law and order.
Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde chairs all-party meeting on Maratha reservation in Mumbai
On Maratha Reservation, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi says, "...Uddhav Thackeray has supported the movement going on regarding the Maratha Reservation, and he is also demanding that it should be decided soon... What can you expect from traitors?... Maharashtra is considered to be a progressive and inclusive state. The CM and deputy CM had made many promises to the Maratha people. This agitation is because they breach promises..."
Maharashtra's Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Sanjay Saxena visited Beed district after large scale violence took place here, reported PTI citing an official. He said that so far, 99 people have been arrested in connection with the violence in Beed and the situation is currently under control.
Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde arrives at Mumbai's Shayadri Guest House for the all-party meeting on Maratha reservation issue.
Pune police has booked around 400-500 people for blocking and burning tyres on Pune-Bengaluru National Highway 48 on Tuesday during a pro-Maratha quota protest near Navle Bridge in Pune city.
According to a senior police official of Pune Police, 10 people have been identified as of now and the process to identify others is on. The protestors were booked under IPC sections 143, 146 ,188,336 at Sinhgad Road Police Station.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut says: "The situation in Maharashtra is worrisome. People of Maratha community have taken to the streets; houses of MLAs and ministers are being vandalised; law and order situation has collapsed. There should be no politics in an issue where the reputation of Maharashtra is at stake."
"The CM has called an all-party meeting, and parties with no MLAs have been invited, but the party which was in power till yesterday and gave three CMs has not been invited, despite the fact that their role is crucial in the meeting," he added.
Mumbai Police has taken three persons in custody for allegedly vandalising cars at the residence of NCP MLA and State minister Hasan Mushrif near Akashvani in Colaba.
Police said two men were raising slogans for the Maratha reservation and vandalising the car belonging to him at his residence near Akashvani in Mumbai's Colaba.
Nanded SP injured in stone pelting by mob during Maratha quota agitation, PTI reported
Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis has condemned the incident where an NCP office was set on fire during a Maratha quota protest in Beed. Fadnavis says, "The incident that happened in Beed yesterday can not be supported. The government is very positive in giving reservations to Marathas. Some decisions have been taken regarding it today as well...But some people are trying to spread violence and it will not be tolerated & strict action will be taken. Some people have been identified. We have received all the CCTV footage and the individuals visible in it have attempted to burn people alive. Under section 307 of the IPC, action will be taken..."
The Maharashtra government has accepted the first report of a committee chaired by retired high court judge Sandeep Shinde. The Eknath Shinde government has decided to hand out Kunbi caste certificates soon.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde held a conversation with Martha reservation activist, Manoj Jarange Patil over a phone call, reports ANI.
" CM Shinde inquired about the health of Jarange Patil and there was a positive discussion between the two regarding providing reservation to the Maratha community."
CM Shinde told Jarange Patil that a concrete decision will be taken in today's cabinet regarding giving Kunbi certificates to the Maratha community, states the news agency.
The CM also said that it is necessary to resolve the issue of the Maratha reservation legally and for this, the government has filed a curative petition in the Supreme Court. After a satisfactory discussion with Chief Minister Shinde, Jarange Patil also consumed water later.
Beed Collector Deepa Mudhol-Munde says the situation is peaceful in the district with no law and order problem since last night. "All shops and markets are closed. The internet in Beed is banned as of now. Action will be taken against any miscreant found disturbing the peace."
Curfew was imposed and internet services were shut in parts of Beed following violent protests over the Maratha reservation.
Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Beed district, Laxman Pawar, tendered his resignation in support of the Maratha reservation demand. Pawar, the MLA from Gevrai assembly segment, said the Maratha quota issue is pending for years.
The Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena has called for a special session of the Parliament on the issue of reservation to the Maratha community. Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha MPs Omprakash Rajenimbalkar and Rajan Vichare have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard.
Background
Maratha Reservation Protest HIGHLIGHTS: Hello and welcome to the live blog on the updates on the Maratha quota protests that have taken a violent turn in parts of Maharashtra. Follow this space for all the live and latest updates.
As the Maratha quota protests in Maharashtra escalated, legislators faced a wave of aggression with agitators targeting their homes and offices on Monday. Additionally, two Lok Sabha Members of Parliament (MPs) from the ruling Shiv Sena party tendered their resignations in support of the reservation demand, while the state government urgently sought a resolution to the turmoil, news agency PTI reported.
In different parts of the state, protesters set homes or offices ablaze, vandalized property, and disrupted road traffic. The unrest was reported in central Maharashtra's Beed and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar districts. However, there were no reported casualties from these incidents.
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange continued his indefinite fast in support of the reservation demand at a village in Jalna district. On the sixth day of his fast, Jarange's health deteriorated, leading to him collapsing on stage. Concerned onlookers at the site provided him with some water upon his request, as per PTI.
NCP MLA Solanke's residence in Majalgaon town, Beed district, was set on fire and subjected to stone-throwing by a group of quota agitators late in the morning. The incident occurred after an audio clip of Solanke went viral, in which he made comments about the Maratha quota agitation and the fasting activist Jarange.
Solanke confirmed he was in Majalgaon when the incident occurred and expressed support for the Maratha reservation demand. His house and car were torched, and stones were thrown by some individuals.
Protesters also targeted the first floor of the Majalgaon Municipal Council building and vandalized it, causing significant damage. Thankfully, no one was injured in the process, as police teams acted swiftly to evacuate the building, PTI reported.
In another incident, a group of Maratha quota activists set fire to the residential premises and office of NCP MLA Sandeep Kshirsagar in Beed city. Law enforcement authorities managed to disperse the crowd gathered outside the MLA's residence and office.
Protesters also set fire to a hotel near Beed city and blocked a section of the busy Samruddhi Expressway at Jalna, leading to a substantial traffic jam on the Mumbai-bound carriageway. In a separate incident, burning tires were used to block the Solapur-Akkalkot Highway.
Additionally, the office of BJP MLA Prashant Bamb in Gangapur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, was vandalized by Maratha quota supporters, who caused damage to the office's windows and furniture. Two individuals were detained for questioning in connection with the incident.
In a show of solidarity with the Maratha reservation demand, two Shiv Sena MPs, one from Nashik and the other from Hingoli, both known for their allegiance to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, submitted their resignations. Hingoli MP Hemant Patil submitted his resignation to the Lok Sabha secretariat in New Delhi, while Nashik MP Hemant Godse sent his resignation letter to CM Shinde.
Efforts to address the Maratha reservation issue continue as the Maharashtra government works towards a resolution. The state government is engaging with Jarange, the fasting activist, and has formed a committee of experts to advise on the submission of a proposed curative petition in the Supreme Court related to the reservation matter.
Authorities are urging restraint, as some of the recent protests have led to violence and arson, tarnishing the image of the ongoing protests. Activists have emphasized the importance of peaceful demonstrations while continuing to demand reservation for Marathas under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category throughout the state.
Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) leader Supriya Sule called for the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio, over the Maratha quota violence. She expressed concerns about the ongoing violence in the state and called for immediate attention to these incidents.
As a result of the protests, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) reported damage to at least 13 buses over the past 48 hours, including four on Monday. In response, the state-run transport corporation has temporarily suspended operations in 30 of its 250 depots.
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