Maratha quota agitation: Curfew, Internet shut-down on

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Curfew continued and Internet services remained suspended in central Maharashtra’s Beed district on Tuesday though there were no fresh incidents of violence on account of the Maratha quota agitation, a senior official said. Earlier, as many as 49 persons were arrested and curfew was imposed in parts of the district on Monday evening following incidents of violence and arson targeting the houses and offices of political leaders as the quota agitation intensified. The situation was peaceful during the day, district collector Deepa Mudhol Munde told PTI on Tuesday evening.

“There was no fresh protest today. Though the day was peaceful, there is no decision on relaxation of curfew and restoration of the Internet as of now,” she said.

The Maratha community will not accept an “incomplete reservation” and the Maharashtra government should call a special session of the state legislature on the issue, activist Manoj Jarange said on Tuesday.

Jarange, who is on an indefinite hunger strike for the demand of reservation, held a news conference at his village Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde talked to him on phone and assured that a decision about giving Kunbi caste certificates to the Marathas would be taken at a state cabinet meeting later in the day.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray demanded the Centre to resolve the issue of Maratha reservation by calling a special session of Parliament, and said if the need arises, Union Ministers from the state should resign in protest. Addressing a press conference here, he demanded that the Maratha and Dhangar communities should also get reservation.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said authorities have identified 50 to 55 people who were involved in violent activities in various parts of the state during the ongoing Maratha quota agitation, and asserted culprits will face strict action.