‘MVA Messed Up Maratha Quota Issue’: Shinde Assures Action Against Those Behind Lathi-Charge in Jalna – News18

Two days after the police lathi-charged those who were protesting in Jalna district of Maharashtra demanding Maratha reservation, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Monday that Deputy Chief Minister and state home minister Devendra Fadnavis has tendered an unconditional apology, and assured strict action against officials responsible for the incident.

An urgent meeting of cabinet sub-committee was called over the Jalna incident today in Mumbai. “Efforts are being made to disrupt peace under the guise of agitations,” Shinde alleged.

The state government also blamed the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government for creating the mess of the Maratha reservation issue. “Our position is that the Maratha community should get reservation. We have set up a task force to tackle this issue. The role of the government is to give reservation to the Maratha community. The government is completely in favour of giving reservation to the Maratha community. We are giving the same benefits to the students from the Maratha, OBC community,” said Shinde.

Shinde also clarified that the state government is with the Maratha community, and it has “clear and positive intention” on the Maratha reservation issue.

Meanwhile, Fadnavis told the media today that a perception is being created among the people that the orders for lathi-charge came from the Mantralaya. He further said such incidents had taken place during the tenure of the previous government, but the CM had not resigned then.

“It is an attempt to show that the government is behind the Jalna incident but people also know who is playing politics. In 2018, we passed a law and the High Court accepted it. Only the Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra governments enacted the law in the country. Our government changed and it was adjourned on September 9, 2020. But the question is why did Uddhav Thackeray, who was chief minister for one year, did not issue an ordinance on the issue of Maratha reservation?” asked Fadnavis.

On the criticism by the Opposition parties that the order of lathi-charge must have come from the Mantralaya, Deputy Chief Minister and state finance minister Ajit Pawar said, “None of us had given such orders. If someone will prove that, we will leave politics with immediate effect.”