Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde has reiterated the state government’s unwavering commitment to providing reservation for the Maratha community and urged citizens to maintain peace amid ongoing protests.
Reflecting on the recent incident in Jalna, CM Shinde stated, “In November 2014, during the coalition government’s tenure under the leadership of then CM Devendra Fadnavis, Maratha reservation was announced by the government. The High Court upheld the government’s decision on Maratha Reservation. However, the Supreme Court issued a different ruling, and it’s widely known that this resulted from negligence… The Maratha Reservation issue is currently before the court, and the state government is fully prepared to advocate its case… We are facing some challenges, and the state government is actively working to address them.”
The chief minister appealed to the public to remain cautious of those seeking political advantage from the situation. He urged the Maratha community, which has expressed its concerns peacefully and sensibly thus far, to exercise restraint and avoid taking matters into their own hands.
CM Shinde expressed deep regret over the unfortunate lathi-charge incident during the protests in Jalna district. He revealed, “I had discussions with the leader of this movement, Jarange Patil, and meetings were held under my supervision to address their demands. The government had taken steps to address their demands, but the protests persisted. I implored Jarange Patil to call off the agitation, but it continued.”
Amidst the protests, Jarange Patil’s health deteriorated, leading the collector and Superintendent of Police to intervene out of concern for his well-being. CM Shinde noted, “They requested that Jarange Patil be admitted to the hospital. Unfortunately, this unfortunate incident occurred at that time. I have ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident and instructed that all the injured be treated at the government’s expense.”
The recent clash between the police and protesters demanding Maratha reservation in Jalna resulted in police resorting to lathi charges to disperse the demonstrators.
