Following the conclusion of an all-party meeting convened to address the escalating Maratha quota agitation, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde affirmed the state government's endorsement of the reservation, according to reports from news agency PTI.
During the all-party meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, leaders collectively passed a resolution urging activist Manoj Jarange to cease his indefinite hunger strike. Chief Minister Shinde emphasized the need for activist Jarange to collaborate with the government to facilitate the Maratha community's reservation.
He underscored the importance of Maratha community members practicing restraint, emphasizing that the government required time to navigate the legal intricacies associated with the reservation implementation.
The resolution was signed by several prominent figures, including CM Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, NCP President Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anil Parab, Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly Vijay Wadettiwar, and the Leader of the Opposition in the legislative council Ambadas Danve, among others.
In recent days, various regions of the state have witnessed incidents of violence. State-run bus services have been entirely suspended in five Marathwada districts, and curfews and internet shutdowns were imposed in sections of Beed, where protesters targeted the residences of political leaders on Monday.
The Chief Minister appealed to the public to abstain from resorting to violence and urged political parties to refrain from engaging in activities that could exacerbate the situation.
On Tuesday, the Maharashtra government issued an order instructing relevant officials to issue new Kunbi caste certificates to eligible members of the Maratha community. This action paves the way for them to avail reservation benefits categorized under the Other Backward Classes (OBC).
A government resolution (GR) directed officials to translate old documents containing references to Kunbis, which were originally written in Urdu and 'Modi' script (formerly used to write Marathi). These documents are to be digitized, certified, and made publicly accessible.
Kunbis, an agrarian community, fall under the OBC category in Maharashtra, entitling them to reservation benefits in education and government employment.
In response to these developments, Jarange, who has been engaged in an indefinite fast to press for the quota demand in Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, expressed the Maratha community's stance. He conveyed that the community would not accept an "incomplete reservation" and insisted that the Maharashtra government should convene a special session of the state legislature to address the matter.
He further warned that he would cease drinking water starting from Wednesday evening if the Maratha community was not granted a "comprehensive" quota.
