Amidst the ongoing demonstrations for the Maratha reservation, a troubling situation unfolded as residences belonging to several prominent figures within the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) were set ablaze in the Beed district of Maharashtra.
To manage the escalating unrest associated with the Maratha reservation protests, a curfew has been instated in Maharashtra's Beed. Additionally, prohibitory orders, as per Section 144 of the Code Of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), have been enforced in the affected region.
These developments transpired in the aftermath of protesters venting their discontent by engaging in acts of vandalism targeting politicians' residences and public properties situated in Beed. The most disconcerting incidents involved the deliberate setting on fire of residences belonging to two NCP MLAs and a former minister. These actions coincided with demands from the opposition party Shiv Sena (UBT) to convene a special parliamentary session dedicated to addressing the Maratha reservation issues.
Specifically, the home of MLA Sandeep Kshirsagar, a member of the NCP faction led by Sharad Pawar, fell victim to the protesters' rage. Vehicles parked at his residence also suffered the same fate. It's important to note that no injuries have been reported thus far, according to police reports.
During the same day, another NCP MLA, Prakash Solanke, based in the Beed district, was similarly targeted and subjected to vandalism and arson by agitators. Prakash Solanke aligns with the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar. In a parallel incident, the office of former minister Jaydattaji Kshirsagar was also subjected to arson in Beed. Jaydattaji Kshirsagar is a member of the Shiv Sena faction under the leadership of Eknath Shinde.
Moreover, an NCP office affiliated with the Sharad Pawar-led faction witnessed an outbreak of arson earlier in the day, underscoring the intensity of the demonstrations.
Demonstrators vented their displeasure by defacing posters featuring Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in Vadgaon Nimbalkar village, marking another unsettling facet of the ongoing unrest.
The Maratha community has been actively participating in protests across various regions of Maharashtra, advocating for reservations in government employment and educational opportunities, particularly within the framework of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.
The situation escalated in response to the indefinite hunger strike initiated by Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil on October 25 in Jalna district. Notably, the activist had previously staged a hunger strike from August 29 to September 14, suspending his protest only after receiving assurances from the state government that they would address the demands related to quotas.
In a related development, amid the eruption of violence and unrest, BJP MLA Laxman Madhavrao Pawar and NCP District President Rajeshwar Chavan submitted their resignations in Beed. This further underscores the gravity of the situation and its broader implications.
