Maratha Quota Row: Cases against protesters dropped, CM urges Manoj Jarange to end hunger strike | Top updates

The controversial Maratha quota has taken the stage ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Maratha outfits also called for a bandh on Monday in protest against the recent lathi charge by the police in Jalna district against protesters demanding reservation in Maharashtra.

The call for a bandh (shutdown) has received widespread support from various political parties. Suhas Desai, the head of the city unit of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction), has voiced his support for the Bandh. Similarly, Pradeep Shinde, the city president of the Shiv Sena (UBT), has also backed the move.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday night held a meeting with a group of protesters from Jalna in Mumbai, and later said that "there was a positive discussion."

Here's a 10-point update on Maratha quota protests

1) Shinde has announced the withdrawal of police cases filed against pro-Maratha reservation protesters in Jalna district, the epicenter of the latest round of stirs on the issue, and urged quota activist Manoj Jarange to end his indefinite fast, PTI reported. 

2) The chief minister also announced the suspension of three police officials involved in a lathi-charge on quota agitators in central Maharashtra's Jalna district in the first week of September.

3) Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange has been on hunger strike for the last 13 days demanding Kunbi status, which effectively means OBC quota, for all Marathas.

4) The Shinde government after several rounds of negotiations between Jarange Patil and the government-appointed representatives last week issued a government resolution offering certificates to those Marathas in Marathwada who have records from the Nizam era.

5) However, Jarange Patil has rejected the state government resolution, saying he will not break his fast unto death until all Marathas are given Kunbi certificates by the Maharashtra government.

6) Jarange said he will take a decision on Tuesday afternoon on continuing his hunger strike, asserting he would not succumb to pressure from either the government or the opposition on the quota issue.

7) He has stopped taking intravenous (IV) fluids, and liquid and he may face health problems due to dehydration. Jarange's serum creatinine and bilirubin levels are on the higher side, potentially indicating his kidneys are not working well and the possibility of a liver ailment, as per PTI reports. 

8) The Sakal Maratha Samaj on Monday said black flags will be hoisted at homes of the community from September 15 as part of a peaceful agitation for reservations in jobs and education. 

9) The Sakal Maratha Samaj, an umbrella group of several outfits, submitted a memorandum at the office of the divisional commissioner here. It said the Maratha community was given the benefit of reservations during the rule of the Nizam in Marathwada but was dropped from the list after Maharashtra was formed in 1960.

10) Apart from hoisting black flags, the memorandum said community members would boycott celebrations organized by the government to mark Marathawada Liberation Day on September 17.

(With inputs from agencies)