Maratha Quota Row: Protesters blacken posters of CM Shinde, deputy Fadnavis in Bhiwandi

Maratha Quota Stir: The protesters on Thursday blackened posters of Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Bhiwandi. This came after the state government decided to provide Maratha reservation within the framework of the law and without doing injustice to other communities. 

The law and order situation, caused by the Maratha reservation protests, has worsened over the last few hours, prompting the authorities to suspend the Internet services in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district on Thursday.

“The internet services provided through dongles, broadband, wireline internet, fiber internet will be suspended from 6 pm on Wednesday until 6 pm on Friday,” the official said. 

On Wednesday, an official informed that a decision to suspend internet – both mobile and broadband services – in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district has been taken to stop the spread of rumors amid the ongoing Maratha quota agitation.

Members of Maratha Kranti Morcha (MKM), lawyers, and farmers belonging to the Maratha community protested in Latur city, claiming that Marathas are Kunbis as per the records dating back to the pre-Independence period and the Nizam era, which makes them eligible to get the reservation under the OBC category.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister on Wednesday requested people to maintain peace and cooperate with the government in its efforts. Leaders at an all-party meeting on Maratha quota chaired by CM Shinde also passed a resolution asking activist Manoj Jarange to call off his indefinite fast. 

The chief minister added that currently, the government is working on two fronts – preparing an error-free report to be submitted before the Supreme Court as part of the curative petition and issuing Kunbi caste certificates to Marathas from Marathwada.

Those who receive Kunbi caste certificates will be eligible for reservation under the Other Backward Classes (OBC). Patil, however, said on October 31 that his agitation would end only after all Marathas in the state are made eligible for reservation in education and government jobs.

Activist Jarange should cooperate with the government in ensuring quota for the Maratha community, he said.

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil on November 1 said he would continue to remain on fast till reservation for the entire Maratha community is officially announced.