All-party meeting called by Maharashtra CM over Maratha quota stir begins

MUMBAI: An all-party meeting called by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to discuss the situation in the state amid the intensified Maratha quota agitation began in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis (of the BJP), NCP president Sharad Pawar, senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat, former CM Ashok Chavan (Congress), Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anil Parab, among others, were present in the meeting.

An official in the Chief Minister's Office earlier said Shinde will apprise opposition leaders of the government's plans to handle the situation and seek their support.

Incidents of violence were witnessed in many parts of the state in the last few days.

State-run bus services have been completely suspended in five Marathwada districts while curfew and Internet shut-down were imposed in parts of Beed on Monday where the houses of political leaders were targeted by protesters.

The CM has appealed to people not to resort to violence and also asked political parties to avoid indulging in any activities that would worsen the situation.

The Maharashtra government published an order on Tuesday asking officials concerned to issue fresh Kunbi caste certificates to eligible Maratha community members, paving the way for them to avail reservation benefits under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.

A government resolution (GR) asked the officials to translate old documents having references to Kunbis and written in Urdu and 'Modi' script (which was used to write Marathi language in earlier times). These documents are to be digitised, attested and then put in public domain.

Kunbis, a community associated with agriculture, are grouped under the OBC category in Maharashtra and enjoy reservation benefits in education and government jobs.

Activist Manoj Jarange, who is observing a fast for the quota demand at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, has 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.

He threatened to stop drinking water from Wednesday evening if the "complete" quota was not granted to the Maratha community.