Page 3 - Maratha Quota

Drive to trace Kunbi records of Marathas to be implemented across state: CM

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has said the drive of tracing documents of Kunbi antecedents of Marathas, which is currently being implemented in the Marathwada region, will be carried out across the state. This campaign should be implemented in a mission mode, Shinde directed all divisional commissioners and district collectors during a meeting held in Mumbai on Friday. His direction a day after Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange called off his indefinite hunger strike seeking reservation to Marathas, but vowed to lead a massive march to Mumbai if no decision was taken on the emotive issue within two months. Speaking after the meeting, CM Shinde said, "The campaign that was implemented in the Marathwada region for searching the Kunbi records will now be extended to the entire state." The Justice (retired) Sandeep Shinde committee will work for the entire state, he said. He also announced that an officer of additional chief secretary rank has been appointed for monitori

Shiv Sena (UBT) questions Centre's intent on reservation for Marathas

Raut also claimed that 16 MLAs who were part of the split in Shiv Sena almost a year back are going to be "disqualified"

Shinde meets activist Patil, says state will provide viable solution

The Maratha activist agreed to call off his protest and gave the state two months time to come good on its promise of reservation for the Maratha community

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Maratha quota stir: 141 offences registered, 168 held so far, says Maha DGP

Maharashtra Police has registered 141 cases in connection with the violence during the Maratha quota agitations and arrested 168 persons, state Director General of Police Rajnish Seth said on Wednesday. He said public properties worth Rs 12 crore were damaged by miscreants across the state. "Notices have been served to 146 accused persons under section 41 in the CrPC," Seth told media persons at the state police headquarters in south Mumbai. Against the backdrop of incidents of arson and vandalism targeting properties of some MLAs, mainly in Marathwada region, state Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said agitators who tried to burn down a house in Beed district with family members inside will face attempt to murder charges. The government has taken serious note of these incidents and the miscreants will face strict action, he had said. Nationalist Congress Party MLAs Prakash Solanke and Sandeep Kshirsagar faced the ire of quota protesters who torched their houses

Maratha quota: All-party meet asks Jarange to withdraw his indefinite fast

Leaders at an all-party meeting on Maratha quota chaired by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday passed a resolution asking activist Manoj Jarange to call off his indefinite fast. The Maharashtra government is in favour of the Maratha quota, CM Shinde said after the meeting in Mumbai. Activist Jarange should cooperate with the government in ensuring quota for the Maratha community he said. The CM said Marathas should observe restraint. The government needs time for legal modalities to implement the reservation, Shinde said. The resolution was signed by CM Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, NCP president Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anil Parab, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Vijay Wadettiwar, LoP in the legislative council Ambadas Danve, among others. Incidents of violence have been witnessed in many parts of the state in the last few days. State-run bus services have been completely suspended in five Marathwada districts while curfew and In

Maratha quota: Sena UBT seeks time from Prez, demands Parl special session

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Vinayak Raut has written a letter to President Droupadi Murmu, seeking time to meet her and demand a special session of Parliament to discuss the issue of reservation for Maratha and Dhangar communities. The letter, dated October 31, states that an 11-member delegation led by Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut wants to meet the president on November 5 or 6. Marathas are demanding reservation in government jobs and education under the OBC category, while the Dhangar (shepherd) community wants the ST (Scheduled Tribe) status. On Tuesday, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray demanded a special session of Parliament and said that the issue can be resolved by the Centre. He said all Union ministers from Maharashtra should raise the reservation issue in the cabinet meeting. Thackeray also urged the Union ministers to resign if the (Maratha reservation) demand is not met. Incidents of violence erupted in parts of Maharashtra over the past few days with the Ma

Maratha quota stir: Curfew lifted in Beed; 99 held so far for violence

The Beed administration on Wednesday morning lifted curfew imposed in parts of the district after violence during the Maratha quota agitation on Monday, officials said. 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, they said. There is no relaxation in curfew in Dharashiv district as of now, the officials said. The Beed police have registered more than 30 offences and arrested 99 people so far in connection with the violence, they said. After violence in Beed on Monday, curfew was enforced in a periphery of 5 kilometres from the collector office, head offices of talukas along with all national highways passing through the district. "Curfew in Beed district has been revoked by the district administration at 6 am on Wednesday. Prohibitory orders still exist in the district," an official said. "Internet services are still shut in Beed," Collector Deepa Mudhol Munde tol

Manoj Jarange firm on quitting water if reservation not given to Marathas

Activist Manoj Jarange on Wednesday reiterated that he will stop drinking water from this evening if his demand for reservation to the Maratha community is not fulfilled by the Maharashtra government. Leaders of all parties should ask the Maharashtra government to call a special session of the state legislature and give reservation to the Maratha community, Jarange who has observing fast at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district since October 25, told reporters. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has called an all-party meeting in Mumbai on Wednesday to discuss the situation in the state amid the intensified Maratha quota agitation which took a violent turn in some parts of the state. Shinde will apprise opposition leaders of the government's plans to handle the situation and seek their support, an official in the Chief Minister's Office earlier said. "Leaders of all parties who are in Mumbai should ask the state government to call a special session of the state assembly

Minister Mushrif's vehicle vandalised by Maratha quota agitators in Mumbai

Maratha quota agitators vandalised Maharashtra cabinet minister Hasan Mushrif's SUV parked in south Mumbai on Wednesday morning, police said. Three persons were detained by the Marine Drive police in this connection, an official said. Mushrif belongs to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. At around 7.30 am, two Maratha quota activists armed with wooden sticks attacked the minister's SUV (sports utility vehicle) parked near the Akashwani MLA hostel in south Mumbai. The window panes of the vehicle were damaged, the official said. The agitators were raising the slogan "Ek Maratha, lakh Maratha," he said. Police rushed to the spot and three persons were taken into custody. During the enquiry, it came to light that these persons were from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, the official said. The damaged vehicle was taken to the Marine Drive police station for further probe into the incident, he added. On October 26, two cars of lawye

Maratha quota stir: Sr cop visits violence-hit Beed; 99 people held so far

Maharashtra's Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Sanjay Saxena has visited Beed district to take stock of the situation after large scale violence there during the Maratha quota agitation, an official said on Wednesday. So far, 99 people have been arrested in connection with the violence in Beed and the situation is currently under control, he said. Senior IPS officer Saxena went to Beed on Tuesday and has been reviewing the situation. He will also submit a report about the situation to the government, the official said. The Beed police have registered more than 30 offences and arrested 99 people so far in connection with the violence, he said. Curfew was imposed and Internet services were suspended in central Maharashtra's Beed district after the violence on Monday. The residence of Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar group) MLA Prakash Solanke at Majalgaon town in Beed was set on fire and stones were hurled at it by a group of quota agitators on Monday ...

Shinde calls all-party meeting amid Maratha quota stir; Uddhav not invited

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has called an all-party meeting on Wednesday to discuss the situation in the state amid the intensified Maratha quota agitation which took a violent turn in some parts of the state, but Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray has not been invited for the meet. An official in the Chief Minister's Office said Shinde will apprise opposition leaders of the government's plans to handle the situation and seek their support. Incidents of violence were witnessed in many parts of the state in the last few days. State-run bus services have been completely suspended in five Marathwada districts while curfew and Internet shut-down have been imposed in parts of Beed where the houses of political leaders were targeted by protesters. The CM has appealed to people not to resort to violence and also asked political parties to avoid indulging in any activities that would worsen the situation. The Maharashtra government published an order on Tuesday ...

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Maratha quota stir: Situation under control in Beed, 49 people arrested

Police have arrested 49 people in connection with the violence in Maharashtra's Beed district during the ongoing agitation for Maratha reservation, an official said on Tuesday. A curfew was imposed in parts of Beed district on Monday evening after a series of incidents of violence and arson targeting properties of politicians. The situation is currently under control, Beed Superintendent of Police Nandkumar Thakur told PTI. "Offences for rioting and putting lives in danger have been lodged in connection with the incidents. So far, 49 agitators have been arrested. There was no untoward incident at night, and the situation is under control," he said. Additional police force has been deployed in the district to maintain law and order, the official said. As per the order issued by Beed Collector Deepa Mudhol Munde, the curfew has been enforced in a periphery of 5 kilometres from the collector office, head offices of talukas along with all national highways passing through the district

Maratha quota: KKRTC suspends bus services to Maharashtra after bus torched

The Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC) has suspended its bus services to Maharashtra after one of its buses was set on fire by protesters at Omerga in that state during the ongoing agitation for Maratha reservation. However, no one was injured in the incident, a transport department official said on Tuesday. The state owned KKRTC bus was proceeding to Pune from Bhalki in Bidar when the incident occurred. "No one was injured in this incident as the protesters deboarded all the passengers and set the bus on fire. Quickly alternative arrangements were made to take the passengers to their destination," he said. "We will stop bus operations till normalcy is restored," the official added.

Curfew imposed in Dharashiv after violence during Maratha quota agitation

A curfew has been imposed in Maharashtra's Dharashiv district after incidents of violence during the ongoing agitation for Maratha reservation, according to the local administration. The assembly of more than five people is not allowed during the curfew period, as per an order issued on Monday night by district collector Sachin Ombase. The curfew is imposed under section 144 (2) of the CrPC in the district and will continue till further orders, an official release said. The order will be applicable to schools, colleges and shops in the district, it said. However, shops selling medicines and milk, and government offices, banks, public transport services, hospitals and media have been exempted. Agitations and hunger strikes over the demand for reservation to the Maratha community have been going on in various parts of the district. A bus of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has been torched in Omerga tehsil of the district, the release said. The ongoing agitat

Maharashtra BJP MLA from Beed resigns in support of Maratha quota demand

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Beed district in central Maharashtra on Monday tendered his resignation from the legislative assembly in support of the Maratha reservation demand. Laxman Pawar, the MLA from Gevrai assembly segment, said the Maratha quota issue is pending for years. The Maratha quota issue is pending for many years. I extend my support to the demand of the Maratha community. To support the cause, I am tendering my resignation, Pawar said in a letter sent to legislative assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar. The BJP is part of the state's Shiv Sena-led ruling coalition where the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) is also a constituent. Laxman Pawar's decision comes in the wake of the Shiv Sena MPs from Nashik and Hingoli in Maharashtra, both loyalists of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, quitting in support of the Maratha reservation demand. Maratha community members, led by activist Manoj Jarange, have launched a fresh round of agitation to press for a quota in government jobs

Maharashtra govt may convene 1-day session to grant Maratha quota: Jarange

Activist Manoj Jarange, whose indefinite fast over the Maratha quota issue entered the third day on Friday, said the Maharashtra government can convene a special one-day session of the state legislature to grant reservation to the community. He also said that if extension has been given to the committee appointed to devise ways to provide reservation to Marathas, then the Maharashtra government is conspiring not to grant quota to the community. Jarange was addressing a press conference at his native Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, where he is observing his hunger strike. "We had given the government 40 days and presented necessary evidence to prove our stand on the Maratha quota. If they have given an extension to the committee working on this issue, it is a conspiracy for not giving reservation to Marathas," he said. The 40-year-old activist appealed to leaders of the ruling and opposition parties to stay in their homes and not to enter villages. "If the leaders are n

Jarange launches indefinite fast over Maratha quota demand as deadline ends

As the 40-day deadline he set before the Maharashtra government to implement Maratha reservation came to an end, activist Manoj Jarange on Wednesday launched his indefinite fast to press for the demand for quota to the community. Forty-year-old Jarange, who has brought back the Maratha quota issue to the centre stage in the state, began his stir at his native Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district. Speaking to reporters before launching the fast, he said, "Maharashtra Chief Minister (Eknath Shinde) had asked me to wait for 40 days to make a decision on the Maratha reservation. But he did not do it, therefore I have decided to start fast unto death at my village." Jarange had observed a hunger strike in this village in September this year demanding that the Maratha community be granted reservation in government jobs and education under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. He had withdrawn the protest on September 14, setting a 40-day deadline till October 24 to the ...

Maha govt to drop cases against Maratha quota protesters; urges to end fast

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday announced the withdrawal of police cases filed against pro-Maratha reservation protesters in Jalna district, the epicentre of the latest round of stir on the issue, and urged quota activist Manoj Jarange to end his indefinite fast. He also announced the suspension of three police officials involved in lathi-charge on quota agitators in central Maharashtra's Jalna district in the first week of September. The CM made the announcements after presiding over an all-party meeting in Mumbai held in the backdrop of the ongoing Maratha quota agitation led by Jarange. The activist is sitting on an indefinite hunger strike since August 29 at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district demanding reservation in government jobs and education under the OBC category for the Maratha community. The state government has decided to withdraw police cases filed against Maratha quota protesters. Necessary instructions have been given to officials as ...