Yesterday, a protest for Maratha reservation in the Jalna district of Maharashtra took a violent turn, resulting in injuries to several individuals, including some police officers.
The demonstration was led by activist Manoj Jarange, who had been organizing a hunger strike in Antarwali Sarathi village, Jalna, since Tuesday. Their primary demand was the implementation of reservation quotas for the Maratha community. The situation escalated when the police attempted to transfer Mr. Jarange to a hospital on the advice of a doctor.
As tensions flared, protesters began pelting stones at the police, causing injuries to several officers. Additionally, some demonstrators targeted state transport buses and private vehicles, as reported by law enforcement authorities.
To regain control of the situation, the police resorted to using baton charges and teargas shells to disperse the agitated crowd. Although some villagers claimed that the police fired shots into the air, official confirmation of this allegation remains pending.
In response to the violence, the police have initiated legal action against over 300 individuals who are suspected of involvement in the unrest.
Amidst the chaos, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde issued a plea for peace and announced the establishment of a high-level committee to investigate the incident. He reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to providing reservation to the Maratha community and stressed the need to avoid resorting to violence. Chief Minister Shinde also mentioned the state government’s previous efforts, during Devendra Fadnavis’s tenure as chief minister, to grant reservation to the Maratha community, which was later overturned by the Supreme Court.
“The state government is taking this matter seriously, and we are open to any constructive suggestions. I urge the protesters to maintain peace to ensure that the general public does not suffer,” Chief Minister Shinde emphasized.
Meanwhile, the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) condemned the use of force against the protesters. Officials indicated that both Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray and Nationalist Congress Party Chief Sharad Pawar were expected to visit the violence-affected village later in the day, underscoring the significance of the situation.
