Maratha agitation: Will invoke attempt to murder charges, says Fadnavis; Jarange Patil says ‘go ahead’

After a cabinet meeting, Deputy Chief Minister and state Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that those involved in torching the house of an elected representative will face case under Section 307 (attempting to commit murder) of the Indian Penal Code. It means no possibility of withdrawal of the case at a later stage.

“The government has taken a serious note of the violence. Yesterday in Beed, some people burned down houses of elected representatives, targeted the establishments belonging to a particular community. There will be action. We have the video footage of setting house on fire while people were inside. Around 50-55 people have been identified and rest will be identified soon. All these will face charges under section 307 of the IPC,” said Fadnavis.

Interacting with reporters in Antarwali-Saraati, Jarange Patil retorted to Fadnavis’s announcement, saying, “We don’t know who burnt the properties. They must have been your own people… BJP is being finished in every state because of people like him (Fadnavis), who keep indulging in such idle talk.”

Asking Fadnavis to “go ahead” with filing attempt to murder cases, Patil said, “Since you have taken a decision that will cause unrest in Maharashtra, do whatever you want to do…”

“If the government fails to make an announcement for holding a special session (of the state legislature), I will stop taking water from tomorrow (Wednesday) evening… After that whatever happens, the government will be responsbile, not the community,” warned Patil.

Patil also warned of staging a sit-in protest outside the collector’s office in Beed and Superintendent of Police headquarters along protesters and warned of retaliation if any youth is harassed by the government. “If any of our youth gets harassed or booked by police, we will not tolerate it. If the government or administration trouble us, we will let them be in peace,” he said adding he would stop taking water from Wednesday evening if the reservation is not announced by morning.

After speaking to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for over 25 minutes on phone, Manoj Jarange Patil demanded that the state government convene a special assembly session to announce reservation for Marathas and give a blanket Kunbi caste certificate to all Marathas in the state.

“We will not accept half-hearted reservation. The government should provide reservation to all Marathas. Whether they have Kunbi certificate or not, all Marathas should get the benefit of reservation,” Jarange Patil told the CM.

On Monday, the house of Sandeep Kshirsagar, Beed MLA belonging to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), was torched allegedly by a group of protesters. In the neighbouring Majalgaon, another MLA Prakash Solanke’s house and car were also torched along with the municipal council building, leading to the Beed collector to impose curfew in the district.

At the meeting on Tuesday, the ministers also unanimously decided to not visit Antarwali-Sarati village in Jalna district, the epicentre of protest, where Jarange Patil is on a fast-unto-death protest.

The Indian Express spoke to seven ministers who attended the meeting and all unanimously expressed support to the government in dealing with the violence. “This cannot be taken lightly. We have to show who runs the state. The government must step in and should not avoid action against those part of the violence,” said a minister from the Ajit Pawar-affiliated Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

In September 2023, during the first leg of the protest held by Jarange Patil, CM Shinde had visited him after which the Maratha protesters had given up fast. This time, the cabinet has unanimously agreed to not succumb to pressure tactics.

Another minister from the Shiv Sena, on condition of anonymity, confirmed that no discussion on visiting Jarange-Patil this time has been taken. “It was decided to ask those who are part of negotiation team from that side to come to Mumbai and hold talks with the state government. The ministers cannot go and visit the protest site right now,” he said.

The minister added that Shinde, during his telephonic conversation with Jarange Patil, informed him about all the measures, while expressing that he was committed to give reservations to Marathas. “I think Jarange Patil should realise that decision on reservation cannot be held in one day,” he said.

A senior minister from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said that the discussion on situation at every district was held after the cabinet meeting was over and secretaries were sent out of the room. “The government must decide as to how much it will bend. We cannot let violence take over the streets… Ultimately, it is the government that is running the administration,” he said.

Sources said that the ministers held the view that only peaceful protest should be allowed. On Monday, several establishments belonging to the OBC community were also targeted in different parts of the state, specifically in Beed. “The state cabinet has decided to extend security to OBC leaders if they ask for it,” said a minister.

In Kolhapur, police beefed up security at the residences of political leaders, including Higher and Technical Education minister Chandrakant Patil.

Nanded district Superintendent of Police Shrikrishna Kokate sustained injury in stone pelting during a demonstration staged by Maratha quota protesters in Kushnoor area on Tuesday evening, an official said. Kokate appealed to the agitators to maintain peace but stones were hurled at him and he sustained injury to his hand, the official said. In Latur, quota supporters took out a candle light march.

In Beed, Beed district, the situation was peaceful during the day, district collector Deepa Mudhol Munde said. “There was no fresh protest today but there is no decision on relaxation of curfew and restoration of the internet as of now,” she said.

Services of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) buses have been stopped completely in five districts — Parbhani, Dharashiv, Latur, Jalna and Nanded — in Marathwada region, said an official of the state-owned corporation.