Exercise restraint or lose sympathy, CM to Jarange-Patil as quota violence spreads

Mumbai: Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said the government is concerned about the continuing incidents of violence and arson in different parts of Maharashtra even as his regime was making honest efforts to ensure quotas for the agitating Maratha community.

Even as the house of a Nationalist Congress Party (AP) MLA, Prakash Solanke, was set on fire in Beed, Shinde warned on Monday that unless violence ceases, “the cause of Maratha reservations will forfeit public sympathy”.

He called upon the Maratha leader Manoj Jarange-Patil to “give us some time”, and to take care of his health, get a medical check-up, take medication and water, as the government engaged in the work of giving quotas that can withstand legal scrutiny.

“In the past, there were 58 massive processions taken out peacefully, each attracting more than one-lakh participants, across Maharashtra, and it earned the admiration of the people all over India. This time, there are incidents of violence and arson, it seems the Maratha campaign is drifting in a different direction,” said Shinde.

The CM appealed to Jarange-Patil, his supporters and all other Maratha groups to ensure that there is no violence and also urged the community’s youth not to resort to extreme steps like suicide.

Shinde said that representatives of the state government-appointed retired Justice Sandeep Shinde Committee will meet Manoj Jarange-Patil on Tuesday to discuss the issue further.

Earlier, the CM chaired a meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee on the Maratha quotas issue where the Justice Shinde Committee submitted its preliminary report which will be tabled and accepted by the Cabinet Meeting on Tuesday.

The government has also set up an advisory panel of three retired judges – who have prepared separate committee reports on the Maratha quotas issue – to advise the government on the proposed curative petition being filed in the Supreme Court, especially pertaining to certain anomalies to ensure that it withstands legal scrutiny, said Shinde.

The CM reiterated that the state government is working hard and is committed to giving reservations to Marathas, while soliciting the support of the agitating leaders.