Pune-Mumbai highway jam over Maratha reservation, protest continues - government called a meeting

Maratha Protest: The movement that started in Maharashtra demanding Maratha reservation has turned violent. It has spread to 8 districts of the Marathwada region of the state. Apart from these, demonstrations are also being held in Pune and Ahmednagar. There was a 6 km jam on Mumbai-Pune Express. Incidents of arson have come to light in these cities. After Beed and Majalgaon, the Panchayat body office of Jalna was set on fire on Tuesday. Before this, arson also took place in Turori village near Umarga town late on Monday night. Protestors had set fire to a Karnataka depot bus in Turori. The state government has called an all-party meeting on Wednesday.

On the other hand, after Beed city which was most affected by this movement, the administration has also imposed curfew in Osmanabad. Internet has been shut down in Beed. At the same time, in Jalna city also, three people tried to commit suicide in the last 12 hours. Here too the protest has been going on for the last 13 days.

According to sources, the Shinde government is considering calling a special session of the Assembly. A cabinet meeting can be held for this. In this, an ordinance can be brought to give reservation to Marathas.

Today's big updates related to Maratha movement

Movement leader Manoj Jarange said that he will take full reservation, not half. No matter what force comes, the Marathas of Maharashtra will not stop. MLAs and MPs should stay in Mumbai till they get reservation.

CM Eknath Shinde said that the Maratha community agitates in a very peaceful manner, the government is paying attention to who is instigating and committing arson.

MNS President Raj Thackeray wrote a letter to Manoj Jarange Patil asking him to leave the fast. He said that the politicians have nothing to do with the demand for which you are fasting.

Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis met Governor Ramesh Bais at Raj Bhavan at 11 am on Tuesday. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had gone to Raj Bhawan on Monday night and met the Governor.

Fadnavis said that the incident that happened yesterday in Beed district cannot be supported. An order has been given to take action against those who threaten OBC leaders. Police is registering a case under section 307. We are serious about Maratha reservation. Some decisions have been taken in the cabinet. We will present our case strongly in the Supreme Court also, but violence will not be tolerated.

Beed Collector Deepa Mudhol-Munde said that the situation was not good late on Monday night, but now the situation is under control. All shops and markets are closed.

Uddhav Thackeray said in Mumbai on Tuesday that no solution has been found yet on Maratha reservation. Make your way to the reservation, we are with you. If necessary, call a special session of Parliament.

1.Why is the movement happening?

Marathas have been demanding reservation in Maharashtra for the last 4 decades. The state government had given 16% reservation to Marathas under OBC in 2018. Due to this, the total reservation in the state crossed the limit of 50%. The Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court had canceled the Maratha reservation in May 2021.

After this, Maratha leaders demanded that their community be given 'Kunbi' caste certificates. The present government has decided to give Kunbi certificate to some people of Maratha community. Shinde government can give 11 thousand Kunbi certificates on Tuesday.

Chief Minister Shinde announced in September that the Cabinet had resolved to grant Kunbi caste certificates to Marathas of Marathwada. The panel constituted for this asked for two months' time. Shinde's deadline ended on October 24. Jarange Patil said at a massive rally in Jalna district on October 14 that after October 24, either there will be a funeral procession or a celebration of the community's victory. The demonstrations started after this.

2. Why only Kunbi community?

Kunbi is a community associated with farming. It has been kept in OBC category in Maharashtra. They get reservation in government jobs and educational institutions. It is claimed that till the end of Nizam's rule in September 1948, Marathas were considered Kunbi and were OBC. Therefore, they should be included in OBC by giving them the status of Kunbi caste.

Manoj Jarange, who is on hunger strike demanding Maratha reservation, says that the movement will continue until Marathas are given Kunbi caste certificate.

3. In which area is the movement taking place?

Marathwada region has 8 districts – Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad), Jalna, Beed, Dharashiv (Osmanabad), Latur, Parbhani, Hingoli and Nanded. This time it is Jalna and Beed centre.

4. How much loss has been caused so far?

Violent protests have been going on in the state for two days. Agitators set fire to the houses of two NCP MLAs on Monday. At around 11 am, they entered the bungalow of NCP MLA Prakash Solanke from Majalgaon in Beed district, pelted stones and set it on fire. At that time the MLA, family and staff were in the bungalow.

In the afternoon, the house of another NCP MLA Sandeep Kshirsagar was burnt in Beed itself. Prakash Solanke belongs to Ajit Pawar faction, while Kshirsagar belongs to Sharad Pawar faction. The agitators also set fire to the Municipal Council building and NCP office in Beed itself.

13 buses of the State Transport Corporation have been vandalized. Due to this, 30 out of 250 depots had to be closed. Pune-Beed bus service has been stopped after stone pelting. On Monday night, about a thousand people entered the Beed depot and vandalized more than 60 buses.

​​Now it was 121 years ago, when the foundation of Maratha reservation was laid

26 July 1902. Chhatrapati Shahuji, the descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Maharaja of Kolhapur, issued a decree. It said that in whatever government posts are vacant in their state, 50% reservation should be given to Maratha, Kunbi and other backward groups.

This was a decision which later showed the way for making a constitutional system of reservation. The Maratha community also cites this as the basis of their demand. Even during the Bombay government from 1942 to 1952, the Maratha community got reservation for 10 years. After this the matter cooled down.