Mumbai/ New Delhi:

Days after the protest over the Maratha reservation turned violent in Maharashtra’s Jalna, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will hold a high-level meet today to discuss the demand of the community.

Eknath Shinde has announced that a committee will be set up to probe the violence in Jalna that left several people injured. The Chief Minister also said that Tushar Doshi, District Superintendent of Police, Jalna has been sent on “compulsory leave”.

The clash broke out on Friday when the police tried to shift Maratha agitation leader Manoj Jarange, who was leading the protest, to a hospital on doctor’s advice.

About 40 policemen were injured after protesters started throwing stones at them. Some people also targeted state transport buses and private vehicles, the police said.

Police had to use baton-charge and teargas shells to disperse the mob. Villagers claimed that police also fired some rounds in the air, but officials did not confirm it.

Cases have been registered against more than 350 people for their alleged involvement in the violence, officials said. 

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the state Home Minister, today called Manoj Jarange discussion on the matter and assured him that action will be taken against those responsible for the “unfortunate incident” in Jalna.

Mr Shinde said the state government was committed to provide reservation to the Maratha community. “The state government is taking some steps to give reservation to the community. During Devendra Fadnavis’s tenure as chief minister, the state government had given reservation to the Maratha community but the Supreme Court quashed it,” he said.

Protesters yesterday had gathered at Mumbai’s iconic Marine Drive and also outside the Plaza Cinema in Dadar demanding reservation for the politically dominant Maratha community.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and NCP chief Sharad Pawar slammed the “government brutality” of police lathi-charging the protestors and demanded the resignation of Devendra Fadnavis.

The two leaders also visited the violence-hit village on Saturday. “We met the injured at the hospital. They told us that the situation was normal and the officials were in touch with them, but suddenly the police force lathi-charged,” Sharad Pawar said.

Mumbai:

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday said that the state government was committed to provide reservation to the Maratha community and appealed to citizens to maintain peace.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on the Jalna incident said, “In November 2014, when the coalition government was in power under the leadership of then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the government announced the Maratha reservation. The High Court also upheld the Maratha Reservation decision taken by the government. But the Supreme Court took a different decision. Everyone knows that this is due to someone’s negligence…The issue of the Maratha Reservation is currently in the court. The state government is fully prepared to fight this case in court…There are some difficulties, and the state government is trying to resolve them.”

The Chief Minister has appealed to people to be careful from those who wanted to take political mileage of the situation.

He said, “I appeal to the Maratha community, who have so far expressed their feelings very sensibly and calmly, with folded hands, to exercise restraint and not take the law into their hands.”

The incident of the lathi-charge during the agitation in Jalna district is very unfortunate, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said, “I had a conversation with the leader of this movement, Jarange Patil. Meetings were also held under my chairmanship regarding their demands. Action was being taken by the government on their demands. However, the movement started even after that. I had requested Jarange Patil to withdraw the agitation but the protest still continued.”

However, during protest time, the condition of Jarange Patil deteriorated, Collector and SP went there because they were worried about his condition, the Chief Minister added.

“They were requesting that Jarange Patil should be admitted to the hospital. However, this unfortunate incident happened at that time. I have also ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident. Also, I have given instructions to treat all the injured in this incident at the government’s expense,” the Chief Minister said.

Earlier on Friday, a clash broke out between Police and protesters demanding reservation for the Marathas in Jalna. Police resorted to lathi charges to disperse the protesters.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)