Pune-Mumbai Highway Jammed Amid Maratha Reservation Protests: Trains Halted, Demonstrations Span Eight Districts

In Maharashtra, the demand for Maratha reservation has escalated into violent protests. The protests have spread to 8 districts in the Marathwada region, including Pune and Ahmednagar, where demonstrations have disrupted daily life. The Mumbai-Pune Expressway also experienced traffic jams extending up to 6 kilometers. These protests have resulted in several violent incidents.

In Beed and Maajalgaon, the Panchayat office was set on fire on Tuesday. Prior to this, on Monday night, Turoor, near Umrer city, also saw a fire that destroyed properties, including a Karnataka depot bus. The state government has called meetings with all stakeholders on Wednesday.

On the other hand, Bid city, which has been most severely affected by the protests, has seen the administration impose curfew in Usmanabad. Internet services have been suspended in Beed. During this time, in Jalna city, three individuals attempted suicide by consuming poison. Protests have continued in the city for the past 13 days.

According to sources, the government is contemplating convening a special session of the Legislative Assembly to discuss the Maratha reservation issue. This could enable the Cabinet to take a decision, including providing a reservation to Marathas. In total, 13 buses belonging to the State Transport Corporation have been damaged.

In the state of Maharashtra, there has been extensive damage to the state transport corporation (ST) buses, with protests leading to 13 buses being vandalized in a span of two days. This has led to the closure of around 30 ST depots out of a total of 250. The Pune-Bid bus service has also been suspended due to the unrest.

On Monday night, protestors engaged in acts of violence in the Bid bus depot, where a mob of around a thousand people damaged more than 60 buses. The control room of the station was also vandalized.

Manoj Jharange, a leader of the Maratha community protests, has stated that they won’t settle for anything less than complete reservation. If needed, they are willing to block the Mumbai-Pune highway, disrupt train services, and stage protests until their demand for Maratha reservation is met.

The Deputy Chief Minister, Dharakari, met with the Governor, Ramesh Bais, on Tuesday morning. The Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde, also visited the Governor on Monday night. The state administration has imposed a curfew in Usmanabad and shut down internet services in Beed. Protestors have continued to demonstrate for the past 13 days.

Manoj Jharange has emphasized that they are not willing to accept partial reservations and will continue their agitation until complete reservation is granted. He has called for the government to convene a special session of the Legislative Assembly to address the issue. The situation remains tense, and the Chief Minister, Uddhav Thackeray, has urged people to maintain peace and avoid violence.

It’s important to note that this situation pertains to the demand for Maratha reservation, a longstanding issue that has led to protests and demonstrations in the state.

Yesterday, agitators set two legislative assembly members’ homes and the NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) office on fire. This year, protests for Maratha reservation have been ongoing since August. In the past 11 days, 13 individuals have taken their own lives in demand for reservation. On Monday, October 30, protesters set fire to the houses of two legislative assembly members in Beed, and they also targeted the NCP office associated with Sharad Pawar. The situation remains tense, and the demand for Maratha reservation continues to be a significant issue in the state of Maharashtra.

Yesterday, another young man committed suicide in response to the demand for Maratha reservation in Maharashtra. The deceased was identified as Gangabhishan Ramrao, a resident of Parli Taluka in Beed district. This brings the total number of suicides related to the Maratha reservation demand to 13 in the last 11 days. Shiv Sena MP Hemant Patil, who hails from Hingoli, has resigned from his position in support of the Maratha reservation, although his resignation has not been accepted thus far. The situation in Maharashtra remains tense as protests for Maratha reservation continue.

In Latur, many medical students have also joined the hunger strike in support of the Maratha reservation demand. Following Manoj Jha’s appeal, on Sunday, October 29, six activists of the Maratha Kranti Morcha sat on an indefinite hunger strike.

Additionally, the ongoing protest has had a significant impact on public transportation in the state. As of Monday, October 30, 13 buses of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) have been damaged, prompting the decision to suspend operations at 30 out of 250 bus depots.

Eknath Shinde mentioned that as of October 30, 11,530 records from the past mention the mention of the Kunbi community. He added that on October 31, new certificates will be issued. A committee consisting of three members will be formed to make representations regarding Maratha reservation to the Supreme Court. Justice Sandeep Shinde (Retd.) will be the chairman of this committee.

Shinde said that they are working on two aspects regarding Maratha reservation – one involving Kunbi certificates and the other through a curative petition in the Supreme Court. The Revenue Minister will expedite the issuance of Kunbi certificates. The government will prove in the Supreme Court how backward the Maratha community is.

The Maratha reservation movement’s leader Manoj Jhangare has been on a hunger strike for the last 6 days. Shinde stated that they have appealed to Manoj Jhangare to give them some more time, considering his health. The government is concerned about his health and has appealed to him to take medicine and water. Shinde said that Manoj Jhangare’s hunger strike is an appeal to give them a little more time. The government is worried about his health and has appealed to him to take medicine and water.

The situation in Maharashtra remains tense as protests for Maratha reservation continue, with various groups making demands and engaging in different forms of protest to secure Maratha reservation in the state.