Mumbai:

Amid the ongoing protests over Maratha and OBC reservation issues, Maharashtra unit BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Saturday dared the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) to declare whether it will provide reservations to the Maratha community from the existing OBC quota.

He further said that the MVA should give such a written assurance in its assembly election manifesto.

“MVA should announce that it will provide reservations for the Maratha community by reducing the OBC quota. MVA should give such an assurance in its election manifesto. My challenge is that MVA’s 31 MPs should announce that they will reduce the OBC reservation and give it to the Maratha community. However, MVA leaders cannot declare it as they are liars,” he said at a press conference.

“The Maratha community must get reservation but it is BJP’s clear stand that it should not be at the expense of OBCs. The reservation was given to the Maratha community by Devendra Fadnavis when he was the Chief Minister and it was also upheld in the High Court. However, Uddhav Thackeray could not maintain this reservation in the Supreme Court when he was the Chief Minister. However, MVA has always taken a two-pronged stand regarding reservation,” said Mr Bawankule at the press conference.

His statements came days after MVA did not attend the all party meeting convened by the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to discuss the stalemate over reservation, and arrive at a consensus formula.

However, the Opposition defended its move saying that the government should address the issue citing separate meetings held by CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis with Maratha and OBC leaders without keeping them in the loop.

Mr Bawankule said that a vote for MVA candidates in the upcoming Assembly elections will harm 14 crore people of the state.

“MVA’s only agenda is to disrupt the public welfare schemes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government in the state and not allow the people of the state to benefit from those schemes. If the MVA government comes to power, the grand coalition (MahaYuti) government, it will scrap various welfare schemes announced by the state government and the Centre,” he said.

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

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

Shivba Sanghatana chief Manoj Jarange-Patil, who embarked on a state tour to drum up support for the Maratha reservations cause, fell ill on Friday, following which he was rushed to a private hospital here.

Jarange-Patil is currently undergoing treatment at the Galaxy Hospital, where he had been earlier admitted on a couple of occasions, said an aide.

He is suffering from heat-related weakness and dehydration though his condition is reported to be stable, and he continues to be under medical supervision, the aide said.

The development came a day after Jarange-Patil announced that he would launch a fresh hunger strike from June 4 – the day of the announcement of Lok Sabha election results – at his native village Antarvali-Sarati in Jalna district.

Besides the fifth round of hunger strike, he said he would take out a massive rally from Beed district on June 8.

Jarange-Patil warned that Marathas would contest all the 288 seats in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections due in October in case the ruling MahaYuti government failed to concede all the pending demands of the Marathas.

These include implementation of the draft notification of January 2024 giving benefits of the reservations to the ‘sage-soyare’ (bloodline), issuing certificates to Marathas under the OBC category to enable them get quotas, and other demands.

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

Mumbai:

Marathas belong to the Kunbi caste, which comes under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, and are not demanding any separate reservation, quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil said during an exclusive interview with NDTV.

Mr Patil, face of the Maratha quota agitation, has been on an indefinite hunger strike since October 25. This triggered a fresh wave of protests and violence broke out in parts of the state on Monday.

However, Mr Patil said the protests are being held peacefully and he’s not aware who are indulging in violence.

The Maratha community has faced injustice for years and this time they will not relent until they get reservation, said the activist. “Marathas across the country support us. I am not afraid of dying. My aim is to get reservation for the Maratha community,” he added.

“We are Kunbis. We are already in the OBC category. Why do we need separate reservation? If one brother gets reservation, then why not another? It is our right,” said Mr Patil. “We, Kunbis, are farmers and if reservation is being given based on one’s occupation, then why aren’t we getting it,” he questioned.

Marathas will keep protesting until the community gets reservation as Kunbis, he asserted. “If law and order situation deteriorate, then it is the responsibility of the government,” added Mr Patil.

The Maharashtra government is in favour of Maratha quota, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said after an all-party meeting in Mumbai today. They also passed a resolution urging Mr Patil to call off his hunger strike.

Mumbai:

Amid incidents of violence over the Maratha reservation issue in parts of Maharashtra, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday called activist Manoj Jarange over the phone and assured a concrete decision on giving Kunbi certificates to the Maratha community during the state cabinet’s meeting to be held later in the day. Jarange has been on an indefinite hunger strike at his native Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district since October 25 to demand reservation for the Maratha community.

After a “satisfactory” discussion with CM Shinde, Jarange started consuming water during his protest, a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said.

Maratha community members have been staging protests in different parts of the state seeking reservation in government jobs and education under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. At some places, quota supporters vandalised and torched the residences of some politicians. A curfew has been imposed in Maharashtra’s Dharashiv district after incidents of violence.

CM Shinde called up Jarange on Tuesday morning and enquired about his health, the CMO statement said.

CM Shinde assured Jarange that he would take a concrete decision regarding issuing Kunbi caste certificates to the Maratha community in the cabinet meeting to be held later in the day, it said.

Shinde also informed Jarange that the state government was prepared to file a curative petition in the Supreme Court over the Maratha reservation issue.

In May 2021, the Supreme Court struck down Maharashtra’s Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act, 2018, which granted reservation to the Maratha community, for violating the 50 per cent quota limit.

The Maratha community, led by Jarange, has been demanding the issuance of Kunbi certificates to Marathas, enabling them to get inclusion in the OBC category for reservation. Kunbis (the community associated with agriculture) are grouped under the OBC category in Maharashtra.

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

Mumbai:

 A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Beed district in central Maharashtra on Monday tendered his resignation from the legislative assembly in support of the Maratha reservation demand.

Laxman Pawar, the MLA from Gevrai assembly segment, said the Maratha quota issue is pending for years.

“The Maratha quota issue is pending for many years. I extend my support to the demand of the Maratha community. To support the cause, I am tendering my resignation,” Mr Pawar said in a letter sent to legislative assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar.

The BJP is part of the state’s Shiv Sena-led ruling coalition where the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) is also a constituent.

Laxman Pawar’s decision comes in the wake of the Shiv Sena MPs from Nashik and Hingoli in Maharashtra, both loyalists of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, quitting in support of the Maratha reservation demand.

Maratha community members, led by activist Manoj Jarange, have launched a fresh round of agitation to press for a quota in government jobs and educational institutions.

Mr Jarange is on an indefinite fast at a village in Jalna district since October 25.

On Monday, Beed district saw large-scale violence during the Maratha quota agitation.

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

Mumbai (Maharashtra):

A meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet sub-committee to discuss on providing the reservation to the Maratha community will be held in Mumbai on Monday.

As per a release issued by the state government, the meeting of the Cabinet Sub-Committee constituted for Maratha Reservation and Facilities will be held on Monday, October 30 in Mantralaya, the government building.

Minister of Higher and Technical Education Chandrakant Patil who is also the Chairman of the Cabinet Sub-Committee informed that the committee will submit a report on the work done so far during the meeting.

In the meeting, Justice Sandeep Shinde (retd) will discuss the statutory and administrative examination of the mandatory evidence and documents required in the process of giving the Maratha-Kunbi, Kunbi-Maratha caste certificate to the Maratha community in Marathwada and also to prescribe the procedure for giving the Maratha-Kunbi, Kunbi-Maratha caste certificate to the Maratha community after the inspection, the release mentioned.

Manoj Jarange Patil, who works as a coordinator for the Maratha Morcha, is on a hunger strike unto death demanding reservation for the Maratha community. He has held extensive talks with the Maharashtra government but a breakthrough is yet to be achieved.

Jarange Patil has demanded a change in the ordinance issued by the state government regarding Maratha reservations. Their stand is that the fast to death will continue unless the desired change is made in the ordinance.

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

Raigad:

Amid mounting pressure on the Maharashtra government over the Maratha quota issue, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Friday took a swipe at Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, saying one should not make a promise if it cannot be fulfilled.

His remark comes in the wake of activist Manoj Jarange launching an indefinite fast in his native Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district on Wednesday to seek reservation for Marathas.

Talking to reporters here, Mr Pawar said Mr Jarange pressed for reservation for the Maratha community and other demands.

“The state chief minister and his colleagues had a dialogue with them (Mr Jarange and his supporters). I have no idea what conversation they had. But it appears that he was given an ultimatum of 30 days. The period was later extended (by 10 days). He was assured that his work would be done in that timeframe. But that has not happened. You should not give a word if you are not able to fulfil it,” Mr Pawar said.

The NCP founder added that Mr Jarange cannot be blamed for launching an indefinite hunger strike.

Mr Jarange had earlier sat on a hunger strike from August 29 over the Maratha quota demand, but he called off the protest on the 17th day on September 14 after Chief Minister Shinde met him and assured to look into the demands. Mr Jarange had set a deadline of 40 days before the government to provide reservation to the Maratha community, which ended on October 24. 

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

Indian nationals evacuated from war-hit Israel arrive at Indira Gandhi International Airport as part of ‘Operation Ajay’, in New Delhi on October 14, 2023.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Fourth flight with 274 Indian nationals flies out from Israel

A special flight carrying 274 Indian nationals wanting to leave Israel amidst the Israel-Hamas conflict left for home on Saturday, the second in a day and fourth since the launch of ‘Operation Ajay’.

The Indian Embassy in Tel Aviv earlier earlier announced that two special flights will operate from Ben Gurion airport on Saturday.

Shadow from fallen Sikkim dam falls on India’s hydroelectric projects in Bhutan

The Chungthang dam of Sikkim Urja Limited’s 1,200 MW Teesta-III hydroelectric project on river Teesta gave way on October 4, contributing to the death of at least 94 people in the downstream areas of Sikkim and West Bengal. The devastation has refreshed worries over two of three India-assisted, under-construction mega hydropower projects in Bhutan — the 1,200 MW Punatsangchhu Stage-I (Puna-I) and the 1,020 MW Punatsangchhu Stage-II (Puna-II). These projects, along with the 660 MW Kholongchu, are estimated to cost ₹21,637.28 crore, funded by India, benefiting States in northern and eastern India.

India will bid to host 2036 Olympics, PM Modi confirms

India aspires to host the 2036 Summer Olympics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi confirmed on Saturday. The country is enthusiastic about organising the quadrennial global sports extravaganza and is fully committed to making this dream a reality, he said.

If its bid is successful, India will become only the fourth Asian country to host the Games.

ICC World Cup: IND vs PAK | Rohit Sharma and bowlers make it 8-0 for India in ODI World Cups against Pakistan

Like fireflies dancing on a surreal night, fans held aloft their cellphones, switched on the torchlights and swayed. The surreal moment at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 14, summed up the state of the much-anticipated World Cup match between India and Pakistan.

Rohit Sharma’s men were on the ascendant and stayed that way right through with the skipper leading from the front. Chasing Pakistan’s 191, India scored 192 for three in 30.3 overs and registered a seven-wicket victory. The Men in Blue found their batting and bowling arms in sync, and Pakistan capitulated.

Modi government failed to mitigate problems faced by women: Sonia Gandhi

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Saturday said that instead of mitigating the problems faced by women, the past nine years had seen a sustained effort by the Modi government to turn women purely into symbols, to be counted and appreciated only in their restricted traditional roles in a patriarchal framework.

Addressing the Women’s Right Conference organised here by DMK MP K. Kanimozhi to commemorate the birth centenary of former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, Ms. Gandhi said that just as in every other frontier of rights, freedoms, equity, and equality, even among women, all the remarkable gains of the past 70 years had disappeared.

Rajiv Gandhi assassination case | Freed convict Santhan wants to return home

Santhan alias Suthenthiraraja, one of the seven life convicts granted premature release in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, has requested the Sri Lankan President to help him return to the island nation and live there with his aged mother. 

MHA data shows nearly half of fresh FCRA registrations under the religious category are for Christian NGOs

Over the past nine years, of the 407 non-government organisations (NGOs) that got the Centre’s nod to receive foreign funds for religious purposes, 194 showed they ran Christian programmes, according to data available with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

However, there are several NGOs that have not listed religion as at least one of their purposes, but are perceived to be working in that space. For instance, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) is registered as a social organisation in Maharashtra and a religious one in Delhi.

Skygazers watch ‘Ring of Fire’ eclipse over Western Hemisphere

Skygazers across the Americas turned their faces upwards Saturday for a rare celestial event: an annular solar eclipse. A crowd of people wearing protective eyewear gathered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, one of many across the western United States watching as the Moon passed between the Sun and Earth at its furthest point from our planet.

Manipur court issues arrest warrant against Meitei Leepun chief Pramot Singh

A court in Manipur has issued a non-bailable warrant for the arrest and production of Meitei Leepun chief Pramot Singh in a case registered against him by the Churachandpur police in June for allegedly promoting enmity between communities and making statements prejudicial to national integration.

LJP factions battle for Hajipur seat in 2024 Lok Sabha polls

The intra-family war of words over the Hajipur (reserved) Lok Sabha seat is getting shriller by the day. Just two days after Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan said that it would be easier to win if his mother Reena Paswan contested from the seat, his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras countered on Saturday, saying that if Mr. Paswan wanted to field his mother from the Hajipur seat, he too would put up someone from his family to contest the Jamui (reserved) parliamentary seat. Mr. Paswan is the MP from Jamui.

Red Fort to host India’s maiden art, architecture and design biennale

Come December, the national capital’s iconic Red Fort will house for a week the replicas of some landmark Indian buildings and structures, including the new Indian Parliament, Tamil Nadu’s Velankanni Railway Station, and Srinagar’s Shalimar Bagh as part of the country’s maiden art, architecture and design biennale.

Will intensify stir if Maratha quota is not announced by Oct 24, says activist Jarange Patil

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil on Saturday threatened to intensify his agitation after October 24 if the Maharashtra government fails to provide reservation to the community in jobs and education.

Addressing a massive gathering at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, he said that after October 24, it would be either his “funeral procession or the Maratha community’s victory celebration”.

Pune:

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday said his government is committed to giving reservations to the Maratha community by proving its social and educational backwardness.

He was speaking to reporters at Pune’s Bhimashankar Temple, one of the 12 ‘jyotirlingas’ in the country.

“It is our clear stand to give reservations to the Maratha community. When Devendra Fadnavis was chief minister (between 2014 and 2019), we had given reservations to the Maratha community but it was set aside by the Supreme Court,” he said.

“It is our priority to prove that the Maratha community is backward on social and educational grounds. We are giving first preference to it and dedicated committees are working on it. Time should be given to the government,” the chief minister said.

Mr Shinde said he had assured Manoj Jharange Patil, who has been on hunger strike in Jalna district for the past several days, that the Maharashtra government was fully with the Maratha community.

“We do not want to cheat anyone by taking any (weak) decision. A decision which we take must stand the legal test. The government’s stand is that reservations given to the Maratha community must be foolproof,” he said.

Asserting that reservations must be given to the Maratha community without affecting such facilities of other groups, Mr Shinde asked opposition parties to cooperate with his government.

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

Jalgaon:

NCP president Sharad Pawar on Tuesday demanded that the Centre remove the 50 per cent cap on quota and raise it by 15-16 per cent to accommodate more communities, amid the renewed focus on Maratha reservation in Maharashtra.

Addressing a news conference, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has called for a meeting on Wednesday of all party heads of the INDIA alliance, an opposition bloc of 28 parties aiming to take on the BJP-led Centre in next year’s general elections.

The state has been witnessing protests by the Maratha community, demanding reservations in government jobs and educational institutions.

“Some people say that making more people (communities) beneficiaries of the OBC (other backward class) quota is injustice to the poor people of the (existing) OBC quota. This cannot be ignored.

“The option is to make amendments by the Centre in Parliament to the existing 50 per cent cap and add 15-16 per cent to it,” Mr Pawar said in response to a question on demands being made by some leaders to accommodate Marathas in the existing OBC quota.

He said there should be no differences between OBC and other communities.

On the drought-like situation in many parts of Maharashtra, Mr Pawar said fodder for cattle, drinking water, steps to salvage crops wherever possible, economic assistance to farmers and suspension of all types of state levies are some of the measures that need to be taken by the government.

Maratha reservation returned to the centre stage last week after the police baton charged and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse a violent mob in Antarwali Sarathi village in Jalna district. The police said protesters allegedly refused to let authorities shift a man on hunger strike for Maratha quota to the hospital.

Several persons. including 40 police personnel, were injured and more than 15 state transport buses were set ablaze in the Jalna violence. 
 

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