New Delhi | Union Minister and Republican Party of India (RPI) chief Ramdas Athavle on Wednesday while extending his support to the ongoing agitation of Maratha Reservation in Maharashtra stated that need to raise the reservation cap from 50 percent to 75 percent.
“I support Maratha reservation demand. I appeal to protesters to protest peacefully. We need to make a law in Parliament and raise the reservation cap from 50 percent to 75 percent. I will also raise this issue in NDA also,” Athawle told media. Demanding reservation in education and government jobs, the protest of the Maratha Community of Maharashtra has turned violent.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis told media that “The government has taken cognisance of protest by Maratha community and has taken several decisions. Govt is ready to talk to them. Government had made a law for reservation to the community but that was stayed by Bombay HC.”
The Maratha Kranti Morcha has called off Mumbai bandh after violence has been witnessed across various parts of the state along with state capital Mumbai as the group has called for a day-long strike on Wednesday. The community is demanding reservation in government jobs and education. The Maratha Kranti Morcha the spearhead of the reservation protest on Wednesday called for a day strike in the state of Maharashtra. A fellow group of Sakal Maratha Samaj has also called for a band in Navi Mumbai and Panvel. The protestors have blocked the Eastern express highway which connects the city of Mumbai with its central suburbs. Many shops in various parts of Navi Mumbai are been closed as stones were thrown at two buses.
Earlier on Tuesday, one Constable died while 9 other police personnel were injured during the clash between police and protestors. Several vehicles were put on fire in the Aurangabad and the neighbouring cities in Maharashtra. The agitation took a violent turn after Kakasaheb Shinde a 27-year-old jumped off a bridge over Godavari river in Aurangabad.
The Maratha Kranti Morcha in a statement said that essential services like water supply, fire brigade, ambulance services, hospitals, school and colleges, school buses are exempted from the bandh.
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