Maratha reservation: Protesters clash with police in Jalna

Sharad Pawar blamed Devendra Fadnavis, who heads the home department, for the police action

Tension prevailed in parts of Jalna district in central Maharashtra after police resorted to lathi charge to disperse protestors demanding Maratha reservation.

(Twitter/Screengrab)

Police in Antarvali-Sarati village tried to disperse a group of activists sitting on a hunger strike demanding reservations for the Maratha community in education and government jobs.

A group of activists led by Maratha Marcha coordinator Manoj Jarange Patil has been protesting since August 29.

On Friday, a clash broke out between the police and the protesters. Initially, police resorted to firing warning shots in the air to deter the crowd. Later, police resorted to lathi charge to after stones were pelted on police personnel and administrtarion who had gone to pacify the crowd.

Reportedly, 10 to 12 people, including police personnel, are said to have been injured in the incident.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar blamed deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who heads the home department, for the police action.

An incident of torching of a vehicle was also reported on the Dhule-Solapur highway.

Notably, the Maratha community were allocated quotas in the fields of education and government jobs as per the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act of 2018.

However, in 2021, the Supreme Court struck down the order which grants reservations to the Maratha community for violating the 50% limit on reservations and the 102nd Amendment of the Constitution.