A curfew has been imposed along with an internet ban in Jalna, Beed and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar districts of Maharashtra considering the law and order situation in view of the ongoing agitation for Maratha reservation by activist Manoj Jarange, as per an order issued by the district administration.
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange announced on Sunday that he will go to Mumbai and agitate over his demand of reservation for the Maratha community.
There is a possibility that people may come to Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna, where the activist has been staging a hunger strike, to stop him (from going to Mumbai).
Due to the huge crowd, there is a possibility that traffic on the Dhule-Mumbai highway and other nearby areas may be affected.
Considering the law and order situation, a curfew has been imposed.
Government offices, schools, movement on national highways, milk distribution, media and hospitals are exempted from this order.
Jarange on Sunday night left from Antarwali Sarati and reached nearby Bhamberi village.
However, on Monday morning, the protesting activist returned to Antarwali Sarati and started receiving medical treatment.
Meanwhile, as the MSRTC bus was burnt in Jalna, the services have been closed for now.
Maratha reservation
The Maharashtra legislature during a one-day special session last Tuesday unanimously passed a bill providing 10 per cent reservation for the Marathas in education and government jobs under a separate category, but Jarange has been firm on his demand for quota for the community under the OBC head and converting the notification on 'blood relatives' of Kunbi Marathas into a law.
Asked about the CM's comments, Jarange told Marathi news channel ABP Majha, "I have not heard it. But he should tell why the notification for a quota of relatives (of Marathas) was not implemented. I respected him a lot. He should not listen to Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and speak his (Fadnavis') language."
Jarange said nobody is bigger than the Maratha community.
"It was his (Shinde's) responsibility to implement the notification for the relatives (of Marathas) and consider taking the gazette (of Nizam state, Satara) as proof for issuing certificates of Kunbi caste. The distribution of certificates has been stopped. Which demand was extra from our side?" he asked.
CM Shinde on Sunday said those who are protesting again and again against the government must not test its patience. They should not create a law and order problem.
He wondered why Jarange's speech looked like the script generally used by Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray.
Asked about it, Jarange said, "I still respect him (CM Shinde). Our caste is our 'script'. Our feeling was you were a true chief minister. I am sincere and don't let me speak much. I am coming to Mumbai." "What should we say if cheating is being done? Do the three (Shinde, Fadnavis and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar) want to kill the Maratha community for their politics? The Maratha community still speaks in support of the Shinde side and he should not listen to them (Fadnavis)," he said.
The activist asked if it was the government's culture to "befool" the people and file cases against them.
Jaranage said the government should tell what it did about the issue of the Maratha quota.
"They did not take the gazette, and data of records found in Marathwada was not given. The list of records found was not displayed in the gram panchayats," he claimed.
Earlier, Fadnavis said the state government has a fair idea about the people behind Jarange, adding that details would come out at an appropriate time.
Asked about Jarange's announcement that he would march to Mumbai to protest in front of his bungalow, the deputy CM said it was his official residence and anyone with any kind of work could visit it.
