The Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde, announced today that the state government is supportive of the Maratha quota. This statement came after an all-party meeting was convened by the government to address the recent wave of protests taking place across the state.
During the meeting, the leaders unanimously passed a resolution urging pro-quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil to end his indefinite fast. The resolution was signed by Chief Minister Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray camp leader Anil Parab, and the Leader of Opposition from both legislative houses.
Chief Minister Shinde emphasized the need for patience from the Maratha community as the government works through the legal procedures required to implement the reservation. He also called upon Mr. Jarange to cooperate with the government in achieving the desired quota for the Marathas.
Mr. Patil, in an interview with NDTV, clarified that their demand is for inclusion under the Kunbi caste, rather than a separate quota. He asserted that Marathas belong to the Kunbi caste, which is classified as Other Backward Classes (OBC).
To investigate this matter, the Shinde government had formed a committee led by a retired judge. The committee has examined the documents of around 100,000 individuals and found that approximately 11,530 Marathas possess documents indicating they are of the Kunbi caste.
In recent days, there have been incidents of violence reported across various parts of the state. Chief Minister Shinde urged all political parties to refrain from engaging in any activities that could exacerbate the situation.
As a result of the unrest, state-run bus services have been suspended in five districts of the Marathawada region, and gatherings have been prohibited in Beed, where the houses of politicians were set on fire by angry protesters.
Mr. Patil, who began his indefinite hunger strike on October 25, threatened to stop drinking water from Wednesday evening if the Maratha community did not receive the “complete” quota they are demanding.
