Maratha quota agitation Highlights: Jarange also warned that Marathas from across the state will hit Mumbai after January 3, if promises are not fulfilled(PTI)Mumbai News Highlights(November 2): Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange withdrew fast on Thursday after meeting with the government delegation. “We will give time till January 2 to the government to get the Justice (Retired) Sandeep Shinde committee report ,” Jarange said after a delegation of retired high court judges Sandeep Shinde, M G Gaikwad and others including officials met Jarange who was on an indefinite hunger strike for the Maratha quota demand. Jarange said that the agitation will continue and chain fasts across the state will continue. He also warned that Marathas from across the state will hit Mumbai after January 3 if promises are not fulfilled.
The protest led by activist Manoj Jarange Patil demanding Maratha reservation continues. Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar joined the list of places including Beed, Jalna where internet services have been suspended, ANI reported. The protest turned violent a few days back with houses of NCP MLAs torched, public properties vandalised and Maharashtra police have so far registered 141 cases in connection with the agitation.
Meanwhile, people in the island city continue to reel under deteriorating air quality. The Air Quality Index today stands at 169. After The Indian Express published “Death by Breath” series highlighting how Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) failed to keep air pollution in check, city’s Guardian Minister Deepak Kesarkar said the civic body will set up a command-and-control centre for monitoring AQI.
As the Eknath Shinde-led dispensation in Maharashtra has not fulfilled its commitment to resolve the Maratha reservation issue, the agitation over the issue has taken a violent turn in some parts of Maharashtra, senior Congress leader Ashok Chavan said on Thursday.
The present government (Maharashtra government) was given one month's time to resolve the Maratha reservation issue and they could not fulfil their commitment, the former Maharashtra chief minister told reporters here.
"That is why the Maratha quota agitation has taken a violent turn and you see a law-and-order problem in Maharashtra," he said.
He said it is the responsibility of the government to set a timeframe and take a decision within it.
"When the chief minister gave a statement that he will resolve the issue in a month and when it is not fulfilled...you see the result. Before giving any commitment, it has to be seen in what time it is possible (to fulfill it). (PTI)
"Cases during the Maratha agitation in Jalna district will be withdrawn in 15 days and those in rest of the state will be withdrawn in one month," announced Maratha quota activist Jarange-Patil after an assurance from ministers.
This comes after Jarange's talks with the government delegation. A delegation of retired high court judges Sandeep Shinde, M G Gaikwad and others including officials met Jarange who is on an indefinite hunger strike at his village Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district since October 25 for the Maratha quota demand.
"We will no rest until the reservation is given to the community. I will not be entering my home until reservation battle is won. We have to continue the agitation throughout the state. Even though I withdraw my fast today, chain fasts across the states will continue," said Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil after meeting with the Maharashtra government delegation today.
A delegation of retired high court judges Sandeep Shinde, M G Gaikwad and others including officials met Jarange who is on an indefinite hunger strike at his village Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district since October 25 for the Maratha quota demand.
'The government should get the Justice (Retired) Sandeep Shinde committee report in less than two months. We will give time till January 2. As we discussed, our family, blood relatives and whichever Maratha demands Kunbi certificate based on documents will get the OBC certificate,' Manoj Jarange-Patil said after meeting the Maharashtra government delegation.
A delegation of retired high court judges Sandeep Shinde, M G Gaikwad and others including officials met Jarange who is on an indefinite hunger strike at his village Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district since October 25 for the Maratha quota demand.
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Thursday demanded during talks with a government delegation that reservation should be provided to Marathas throughout Maharashtra.
A delegation of retired high court judges Sandeep Shinde, M G Gaikwad and others including officials met Jarange who is on an indefinite hunger strike at his village Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district since October 25 for the Maratha quota demand.
MLA Bachchu Kadu, who supports the ruling alliance, was also present.
Jarange had said on Wednesday evening that he would not be drinking even water from now on even though an all-party meeting passed a resolution earlier in the day supporting the demand of quota and appealing him to call off his fast.
During the discussion on Thursday, which took place in front of the media, Jarange demanded that the government should provide enough funds and deploy multiple teams for the survey of the economic and social backwardness of the Maratha community. (PTI)
In a bid to enhance safety and deter people from trespassing onto live railway tracks, the Central Railway (CR) has implemented modify the sloping ramps at the ends of station platforms, making them vertical to discourage trespassing. Additionally, they will apply grease on the platform floor or create grease puddles to prevent commuters from climbing from the platform ends.
Dr. Shivraj Manaspure, the Chief Public Relations Official of CR, stated that these actions aim to encourage people to use Foot Overbridges (FOBs) and escalators rather than risking their lives by trespassing on railway tracks. Read more
Days after a man ended his life by jumping in front of a running train in Thane district of Maharashtra, the police have registered a case of abetment of suicide against his wife and her three family members, an official said on Thursday.
The Karjat Government Railway Police (GRP) registered the case on Wednesday.
"The victim in the case, Bharat Khardikar, committed suicide by jumping in front of a running train between Badlapur and Vangani railway stations. Initially, a case of accidental death was registered, but based on the complaint filed by his mother on November 1, the GRP registered a case of suicide abetment," the official said.
The accused in the case are identified as the deceased person's 31-year-old wife Bhargavi Khardikar, her mother Philomina D'Souza (59), her sister Diana Cruz (35) and brother Siriza D'Souza (33), all residents of Dubai, he said. (PTI)
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday said only the Union government can find a solution to the Maratha quota issue, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were busy with poll campaigns while Maharashtra was "burning".
His party's stand has been that the Marathas in Maharashtra should be given reservation but it should not eat into the existing quotas of other communities, the Rajya Sabha MP told reporters here.
"Only the Centre can do it (resolve the Maratha reservation issue) but PM Modi is busy with poll campaign. Amit Shah is campaigning from Chhattisgarh to Mizoram, and Maharashtra is burning," Raut said.
Modi should speak to Maratha activist Manoj Jarange who has been on an indefinite hunger strike for the quota demand, he said.
"People are committing suicide. If anything happens to him (Jarange), Maharashtra will burn. Do they want Maharashtra to burn?" Raut asked. (PTI)
Mumbai’s Guardian Minister Deepak Kesarkar on Wednesday said that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will set up a command-and-control centre for monitoring Air Quality Index (AQI) to send out alerts and advisories to residents on days when the city records ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ AQI.
The minister’s announcement came after The Indian Express, as part of ‘Death by Breath’ series on city’s deteriorating air, drew attention to how civic body failed to issue advisory to residents despite the city recording ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ AQI in its report “Air turned very ‘poor’ or ‘severe’ but not one health advisory from BMC”. Read more
Solanke says that the violence was a clear indication of intelligence failure and Beed police chose to be a mere bystander when attack took place.
"I also have a feeling that the police morale was down after action against police officials post- incident in Jalna. The suspension of officials in Jalna has forced police force to refrain from taking any action. I will only tell state's Home Minister that we should stand behind police force."
Solanke was referring to the lathicharge of police officials on the first agitation held by Manoj Jarange-Patil. Post this lathicharge, after the uproar, the state had suspended officials on duty.
Ruling NCP MLA Prakash Solanke whose house was attacked by the violent mob on October 30 amid Maratha community agitation demanding reservation, on Thursday claimed that the attack was an attempt to murder him as he was inside the house.
"The CCTV footage from my residence has identified individual workers from my political rivals as well workers of those involved in illegal activities. My life was saved by Maratha workers as they protected me and stopped these anti social elements from coming near me."
Solanke said that total 21 are arrested and 8 accused are non Marathas.
Amid growing concerns over the rise in air pollution in Mumbai, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) said it has asked the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), Tata Power and a few other companies to cut down their production by 50 per cent with an aim to curb pollution.
In its press statement on Wednesday, the MPCB said it gave this instruction in the notices issued on October 27 to the HPCL, Tata Power, Aegis Logistics at Mahul and Sealord Containers Ltd at Ambapada located in Trombay area of Mumbai.
The MPCB also forfeited the bank guarantee of Rs 10 lakh of Aegis Logistics and Rs 5 lakh of Sealord Containers, it said.
A similar notice was sent to the Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Limited (RCF) in Chembur on Wednesday, in which strict guidelines were issued for it. The board also closed down two ready-mix concrete (RMC) plants in the city, it added. (PTI)
Residents in many villages of Maharashtra's Dharashiv district on Thursday launched a ‘jail bharo' (court arrest) protest in support of the Maratha quota agitation, an official said.
The jail bharo protest started in the district after local MLA Kailas Patil was detained by the Mumbai police for agitating here to demand reservation for Marathas in government jobs and education in the state.
Hundreds of Maratha activists gathered in Dharashiv city and Anandnagar Rural area in the morning to take part in the protest, the police official said.
At Kaudgaon, about 100 activists took part in a jail bharo protest between 10.30 am and 12.30 pm. Of them, 42 were detained under Section 68 of the Maharashtra Police Act, officials said.
A large number of policemen were deployed to maintain law and order in the district, they said. (PTI)
A Maratha community member from Dharashiv in Maharashtra, who was the first one to be given the Kunbi caste certificate in the district as part of the ongoing survey exercise, has decided to return the document to the authorities, saying he wants all Marathas in the state to be given this benefit. The man, Sumit Mane, was given the Kunbi caste certificate by the Dharashiv district authorities on Wednesday.
Hours after accepting the certificate, he said he would give it back to the authorities, maintaining that if the government was feeding only him but keeping his brothers hungry, it was not acceptable to him. Authorities in Dharashiv on Wednesday started distributing Kunbi caste certificates to the eligible Maratha community members, paving the way for their inclusion in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.
Mane, who hails from Kari village in the district, was the first one to be given the certificate based on the proof. "I was given the Kunbi caste certificate on Wednesday. At that time, I told the district collector that if these certificates are given to the entire Maratha community, I will accept it or else I will either return it to the government or burn it," he said.
"If the government is feeding only me and keeping my brothers hungry, it will not be acceptable to me. Give it (Kunbi certificate) to everyone, then I will accept it. Therefore, I have now decided to return it to the government," Mane added. The Maharashtra cabinet had last month decided that Kunbi caste certificates will be issued to those Marathas hailing from Marathwada region who possess revenue or education documents from the Nizam era that recognise them as Kunbis.
On Tuesday, the state government published an order asking officials concerned to issue fresh Kunbi caste certificates to eligible Maratha community members, paving the way for them to avail reservation benefits under the OBC category.
The government resolution (GR) issued on Tuesday asked the officials to translate old documents having references to Kunbis and written in Urdu and 'Modi' script (which was used to write Marathi language in earlier times). Kunbis, a community associated with agriculture, are grouped under the OBC category in Maharashtra and enjoy reservation benefits in education and government jobs. Maratha activist Manoj Jarange has been observing an indefinite fast for the quota demand at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district since October 25. PTI
For the second consecutive day, MLAs cutting across party lines continue their protest outside Secretariat. The MLAs representing Maratha community have joined the protest extending solidarity with Jarange Patil and they have demanded quick resolution on the issue. "The government is buying time. Why are they not taking a final decision on reservation," they said.
Women protesters demanding reservation for Maratha community were detained while attempting a road blockade in Kaudgaon village of Maharashtra's Parbhani district, PTI said in a tweet.
As Maratha protesters have taken to streets, Mumbai-Goa Highway traffic has come to a standstill.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and State BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule are scheduled to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi today afternoon.
For almost two years, one side of the Delhi-Jaipur highway in Gurugram has been the site of an agitation for the creation of an “Ahir regiment”. The spot is marked by a large tented space that includes a kitchen, sleeping facilities and toilets. The walls of the tent are decorated with posters of “heroic” figures from Yadav historical memory and banners with traditional as well as modern armaments and slogans.
Frequently, men of the community take out marches in the surrounding villages, block traffic (“chakka jam”) and hold “interaction sessions” with visiting politicians who are exhorted to support the cause beyond mere words. On my last visit to the site, one of the organisers told me that the “Ahirwal region has provided hundreds of thousands of soldiers. Our community has provided many brave soldiers in significant battles such as Rezang La (1962), Kargil, etc… but still we don’t have a regiment! The government is making 28 new regiments, they should also make a 29th, the Ahir regiment.” Read more
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde held a meeting with the delegation which will meet Jarange Patil today.
The video shared by news agency ANI shows Maratha reservation agitators blackening the posters of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Bhiwandi, Thane. The second Maratha protests began on October 30 with activist Manoj Jarange Patil announcing fast-unto-death till government fulfil their demands.
A Maratha community body in Nashik on Monday decided not to celebrate Diwali and other upcoming festivals till they get the reservation under the OBC category in Maharashtra.
The Sakal Maratha Samaj's (SMS) Nashik district unit passed a resolution at a meeting held in Nashik city to observe the upcoming festival of lights as "black Diwali".
"Members of the Maratha community will not purchase anything for Diwali. They will not light diyas or even install sky lanterns," as per the resolution adopted at the meeting.
The SMS also decided that at least two people in every village from Nashik district shall observe an indefinite hunger strike and others shall sit on a chain hunger strike. (PTI)
Members of Maratha Kranti Morcha (MKM) on Wednesday blocked the Latur-Solapur highway in Maharashtra by setting tyres on fire for the Maratha quota demand, disrupting traffic in both directions.
Except for emergency services like ambulances and school buses, no vehicle was allowed to ply on the highway from 10 AM to 6 PM, officials said.
Separately, lawyers belonging to the Maratha community took out a rally in Latur city. A hunger strike was also observed.
They claimed that Marathas are Kunbis as per the records dating back to the pre-Independence period and the Nizam era, which makes them eligible to get the reservation under the OBC category.
In Nagzari village, thousands of farmers, including women, took out a morcha with bullock carts and tractors. The rally covered a distance of 20 km before culminating at the district collectorate, where a memorandum was submitted to the district collector. (PTI)
Fitting vehicle-mounted air filters on 350 BEST buses, setting up virtual chimneys at traffic congestion spots, placing special streetlights and installing air purification systems in select gardens are some of the technological measures being identified to control air pollution in Mumbai.
Among other measures and actions, the city civic body has ordered 30 vehicles mounted with sprinklers, also called fog cannons, while notices have been served to readymix concrete units, and industries have been directed to increase the height of chimneys, said Mumbai district guardian minister Deepak Kesarkar.
He said there won't be a ban on bursting crackers but citizens should use their discretion and burst fewer crackers.
"IIT (Bombay) has identified various companies and technology offered by them is used on a trial basis in Mumbai. The technology which proves effective in reducing pollution will be given priority. We have identified six technologies, including vehicles-mounted air filters," Kesarkar told reporters. (PTI)
The Bombay High Court has noted that no steps have been taken by authorities to create health advisories or awareness among citizens about the deleterious levels of Air Quality Index (AQI) presently prevailing in the city.
A division bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor made this observation in its order while taking suo motu cognisance of the air pollution in Mumbai.
The bench on Tuesday issued a notice to the Maharashtra government, the Union government, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and sought to know from them what measures have been undertaken to tackle the problem. (PTI)
Amid a fresh wave of protests in Maharashtra over the Maratha quota demand, authorities in Dharashiv district of the state on Wednesday started distributing Kunbi caste certificates to the eligible Maratha community members, paving the way for their inclusion in the OBC category.
The first such certificate was handed over to Sumit Mane from Kari village in the district based on the proof, an official said.
District collector Sachin Ombase handed over the Kunbi caste certificate to Mane.
The development comes a day after the state government published an order asking officials concerned to issue fresh Kunbi caste certificates to eligible Maratha community members, paving the way for them to avail reservation benefits under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.
The Maharashtra cabinet had last month decided that Kunbi caste certificates will be issued to those Marathas hailing from Marathwada region who possess revenue or education documents from the Nizam era that recognise them as Kunbis. (PTI)
Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) leader Supriya Sule on Wednesday hit out at the Eknath Shinde-led dispensation, saying the Maratha reservation issue has remained unresolved due to the "failure" of the "corrupt and bogus" Maharashtra government.
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange has been on an indefinite hunger strike at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district since October 25 to press for the demand for quota to the community. As violence erupted in some parts of the state in the last couple of days over the issue, the state government on Wednesday held an all-party meeting in Mumbai to hold talks.
Speaking to reporters here, Sule said, "It is the failure of the state government to address the issues of the Maratha community. It is this corrupt and bogus triple-engine government that is consistently lying to the people and continues to do so." She was responding to a query about the violence in parts of the state during the Maratha quota agitation. (PTI)
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. (PTI)
After Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday sought time for providing reservation to the Maratha community, quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil accused the government and political leaders of taking things lightly.
Shinde had sought time at the all-party meeting during which a resolution was unanimously passed saying all parties had agreed to give reservation to Marathas. All political parties also appealed to Jarange-Patil to withdraw his fast-unto-death.
While speaking to reporters at Antwarwali-Saraati village in Jalna district, Jarange-Patil said, “The government is seeking time… I have been fasting for the past 8 days and now the government says it wants more time. Why does it need time and for what? The government should specify.” Read more
Both mobile and broadband Internet services would be suspended for 48 hours in most parts of central Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district from Wednesday evening to stop the spread of rumours amid the ongoing Maratha quota agitation, an official said here.
The shutdown will be enforced from 6 pm on Wednesday to 6 pm on Friday (November 3), he said.
The action was being taken following orders from additional chief secretary (home) Sujata Saunik, he said.
The order was applicable to the talukas of Gangapur, Vaijapur, Khultabad, Phulambri, Sillod, Kannad, Paithan, Soegaon and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar except the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city.
To maintain law and order and prevent the spread of rumors, Internet services provided through dongles, broadband, wireline internet, fiber internet will be suspended for a period of 48 hours, the official said. (PTI)
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday said the all-party meeting held earlier in the day decided that reservation should be given to the Maratha community without tampering with the existing quotas of other communities in the state.
Speaking to reporters here, Shinde also appealed activist Manoj Jarange, who is on hunger strike for Maratha reservation since October 25, to call off his fast and give the government some time.
“It was decided unanimously at the all-party meeting that the state should make efforts for securing Maratha reservation without touching the existing quotas of other communities. I appeal and request Manoj Jarange to withdraw his fast and cooperate with the government. The state needs some time to prepare for the curative petition filed in the Supreme Court,” Shinde said.
The government is working on two fronts -- issuing Kunbi caste certificates to Marathas from Marathwada (so that they can avail of OBC reservation) and preparing an error-free submission as part of the curative petition filed in the apex court, he said. (PTI)
Maratha quota supporters observing an indefinite fast in Maharashtra's Thane city asked NCP leader Jitendra Awhad to step down from the stage where they were carrying out the protest when he went to meet them.
The pro-quota activists, who have been staging the protest in front of the district collectorate since October 28, said they do want their agitation to be taken over by political leaders.
Former state cabinet minister Awhad along with NCP city president Suhas Desai went to meet the protesting activists of the Sakal Maratha Samaj late Tuesday night.
Seeing Awhad on the stage, the protesters shouted, "No leader of any political party on stage...we do not want this agitation to be taken over by political parties. Are you going to give us reservation? No. Then you have no place on the stage. Get down, get down." Awhad later left from the spot.
People demanding Maratha reservation have been observing indefinite fasts at different places in Thane. (PTI)
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde told media after the all-party meeting, "Time should be given for this; everyone decided this. Whatever unfortunate incidents are happening, everyone has expressed displeasure about them...A committee has been formed of three retired judges... The Backward Class Commission is working on a war footing. Soon, decisions will be taken to give justice to the Maratha community...There is a need to give time, and the Maratha community too should be patient..."
The Pune city police have booked around 500 people for blocking traffic on the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway for over three hours and burning tyres while protesting for Maratha reservation on Tuesday.
A large number of protesters gathered near the Navale bridge area in Narhe, from where they reached the national highway around 12.05 pm and blocked traffic coming from the Bengaluru side, in spite of repeated requests from the police not to do so.
Minutes later, the protesters blocked Bengaluru-bound traffic on the opposite carriageway, leading to a major traffic jam in the area. Queues as long as three to four kilometres were seen on both sides. Around 3 pm, the protesters allowed the vehicles to move and the traffic could be cleared only around 3.30 pm. Read more
BJPs spokesperson Ajit Chavan said Maratha activist Manoj Jarange Patil should not bring politics. "Targeting Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis defeats the objective of Maratha reservation agitation, which is an apolitical movement," he said.
The BJP has taken strong objection of Jaraange Patil's remark against Fadnavis. Meanwhile, Patil said, "Fadnavis talks sweetly, but, at the same time, he has given orders to file cases against Maratha activists."
The resolution unanimously passed by all political parties has appealed Maratha leader Manoj Jarange Patil to withdraw his fast-unto-death. The resolution says that all parties are unanimous in giving reservation to Marathas.
"Reservation which survive the test of law can be given only after completing the legal formalities and all political parties in the state are ready to work together for this. While action regarding this will be taken at the earliest, it needs to be given necessary time. The incidents of violence in the state are wrong and are defaming the agitation.
We express deep dislike over this. We appeal protesters to not take law into their own hands and maintain law and order. We appeal Manoj Jarange-Patil to co-operate in these efforts and withdraw his fast."
The curfew imposed in Beed has been lifted, however, prohibitory orders are in place and internet services remain shut. In adjoining Dharashiv district, curfew continues. Internet services remain shut in Jalna district of Marathwada region also.
All-party meeting chaired by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde concluded with all leaders signing a resolution appealing to maintain law and order in the state.
After protesters vandalised, torched and pelted stones at properties of some NCP and BJP MLAs, members of all parties stand unanimous on maintaining law and order in the state. The leaders have asked the state government to take strict action. Opposition Congress party has asked why state government is not including Centre in the matter related to Maratha reservation as solution could come only from the Centre.
After protesting MLAs locked the main gate of the legislature, Mumbai police have detained them.
A private vehicle belonging to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Hasan Mushrif was allegedly vandalised by three unknown people near Aamdar Niwas in Mumbai's Colaba around 8 am Wednesday, the police said.
“The NCP leader was at his Cuffe Parade home and the driver had parked the car outside Aamdar Niwas and was resting inside when the incident took place,” said an officer. The three people were detained at the spot by the personnel deputed near Aamdar Niwas, following which they were taken to the police station.
“Our investigation is underway. It appears that it is related to the Maratha reservation protest. We will take appropriate legal action against the three miscreants,” said a police officer.
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