Amid tensions escalating over Maratha reservation, Maharashtra Cabinet sub-committee is set to hold a meeting on Monday.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will also attend the meeting. While speaking to the media earlier, Shinde said that the state government is fully committed to providing reservations to the Maratha community.
Meanwhile hunger strike over demand of Maratha reservation continues in Jalna. Recently, the protest in Jalna district had gone violent with police using lathicharge to disperse the protesters seeking reservation for the Maratha community. Over 40 police personnel and several agitators were injured in the incident on Friday.
Reportedly, Tushar Doshi, District Superintendent of Police, Jalna, has been sent on "compulsory leave".
Shinde assured the protesters that the state government will be providing all help required to ensure the reservations but currently the matter is in the court. "In 2014, when the coalition government was in power under the leadership of the then CM Devendra Fadnavis, the government announced the Maratha reservation. The HC also upheld the decision...but SC took a different decision...Everyone knows that this is due to someone'e negligence...the issue is currently in court," Shinde was quoted by ANI.
CM also urged the protesters not to take law into their hands and to maintain peace.
The protesters, led by Manoj Jarange, had been staging a hunger strike demanding reservation since Tuesday. The Maratha community is seeking reservations in jobs and education as well.
After the Jalna incident, the police said the agitators torched at least 15 state transport buses and private vehicles and pelted stones at police personnel leading to the lathicharge. A case was registered against 360 persons involved with the incident, said police.
A high-level probe was launched into the violence. Meanwhile, the opposition opposition leaders targeted the Shiv Sena-BJP government and condemned the police action.
A bandh is called in Aurangabad over police lathicharge. Tight security arrangements are in place in view of the bandh.