Maratha Quota Stir Intensifies! CM Shinde Holds All-Party Meet Amid Jarange's 'Quit-Water' Ultimatum

New Delhi: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde all-party meeting began on Wednesday morning to discuss the situation in the state amid the intensified Maratha quota agitation. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday claimed that his party MPs and MLAs were not invited to the all-party meeting called by the Maharashtra government on the Maratha reservation. The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said that a party with no lawmakers was invited to the meeting, but his party which has 16 MLAs and 6 MPs was not invited.

He posted on social media platform X, “What is this government doing? Maharashtra is burning, but his shameless politics goes on. Chief Minister called an all-party meeting on Maratha reservation. Shiv Sena was not invited. Shiv Sena has 16 MLAs and 6 MPs. The case is in the Supreme Court. Invitation to those who have one MLA. Those who have no MLA are also invited. But Shiv Sena is ignored. Ambadas Danve is invited as the Leader of the Opposition. Ok. We don’t need any favour. But solve the issue. Save Jarange-Patil’s life. The extra-constitutional government has crossed its limit. The time of judgement is near. Jai Maharashtra!”

Jarange Vows To Give Up Water

Meanwhile, the quota activist Manoj Jarange on Wednesday said that this movement will not stop. If the decision is not taken by this evening, he will also give up water. On Tuesday, he decided to drink water after CM Eknath Shinde promised him a solution. Jarange-Patil however continues his protest refusing to eat food. Earlier, he said he will drink water for two more days but will go back to his full hunger strike if the state government does not give Marathas OBC status by giving them Kunbi caste certificates. The activist also demanded that the government hold a special session to discuss the Maratha reservation demand.

Top Cop Visits Beed, 99 Arrested For Arson

Beed (Maharashtra): Maharashtra’s top police officer Sanjay Saxena visited Beed district on Wednesday to assess the situation after a violent protest by Maratha quota activists, an official said. He said 99 people have been arrested for the violence in Beed and the situation is under control. Saxena, the Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order), reached Beed on Tuesday and has been monitoring the situation. He will also report to the government about the situation, the official said.

The Beed police have filed more than 30 cases and arrested 99 people for the violence, he said. Beed district in central Maharashtra was under curfew and Internet services were cut off after the violence on Monday. A group of quota protesters set fire to the house and car of NCP (Ajit Pawar group) MLA Prakash Solanke at Majalgaon town in Beed on Monday morning.

They were angry over an audio clip of the MLA, in which he allegedly talked about the Maratha quota agitation and made a hidden remark on quota activist Manoj Jarange who is on a hunger strike. The protesters also burned down the first floor of the Majalgaon Municipal Council building.

Another group of protesters attacked the home and office of NCP MLA Sandeep Kshirsagar in Beed city and set them on fire on Monday evening. The house of former Maharashtra minister Jaydutt Kshirsagar in the city was also torched. Police used tear gas to break up a crowd that had gathered outside the house of NCP leader Amarsingh Pandit.