Cops lathicharge activists demanding Maratha reservation in Jalna
The incident occurred in Antarvali-Sarati village in the district where a group of Maratha activists, led by one Manoj Jarange-Patil, were sitting on a strike for four days with their demand. On Friday, as Jarange’s health deteriorated, as he was on a hunger strike continuously, police attempted to shift him to hospital
Tension prevailed in parts of Jalna district, in central Maharashtra, on Friday after police resorted to lathicharge to disperse a group of activists who were demanding reservation for the Maratha community. The matter immediately took a political turn – while the opposition slammed the alliance government in the state, chief minister Eknath Shinde ordered a probe.
The incident occurred in Antarvali-Sarati village in the district where a group of Maratha activists, led by one Manoj Jarange-Patil, were sitting on a strike for four days with their demand. On Friday, as Jarange’s health deteriorated, as he was on a hunger strike continuously, police attempted to shift him to hospital. This led to a friction between the police and the mob that had gathered. The mob became aggressive and reportedly started pelting stones, leading the police to use lathicharge to disperse them.
Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also heads the home department, said, “As Jarange’s health condition was deteriorating, it was the administration’s responsibility to get him medical aid. Police attempted to do so on Thursday but people gathered around him said he should be shifted on Friday. When police went to the venue, some people started pelting stones at them. Many police personnel were injured after which they resorted to lathicharge and burst teargas shells to disperse the unruly mob.”
The superintendent of police, Jalna, Tushar Joshi, said: “Around 40 personnel, including 6 lady officers, were injured in the incident.” Sources from the department added, after Jarange was discharged from the hospital, he and other activists accompanying him, returned to the same spot to continue their agitation. Several activists were also injured in the melee.
The chief minister has spoken to the Jalna collector and other senior police officers, and ordered an inquiry into the incident. “The mob was uncontrollable and hence the police resorted to lathicharge,” said Shinde.
The episode led to protests in several parts of Marathwada. Shops were closed in the district and at least two buses were torched by the angry mob. There were also reports of vehicles being burnt on the Dhule-Solapur highway.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar, who will be in Antarvali-Sarati village on Saturday to speak to the Maratha activists, blamed the home minister for the situation going out of hand. “I have been informed that the police had prior talks with activists who were willing to withdraw the agitation. Then why did the police try to remove them forcibly,” he asked. “The lathicharge may have been ordered by the home minister. This is an example of the extreme stand he is capable of taking on a particular community.”
Other leaders from Congress, NCP (Pawar faction) and Shiv Sena (UBT) also criticised the government over the police’s action.
“The visuals on social media show the use of excessive force by police. Instead of supressing the agitation, the government should try to resolve the issue immediately,” said Congress leader and former chief minister Ashok Chavan. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray added: “It has become impossible to stand up for one’s rights in Maharashtra. The state government is destroying democracy and moving towards dictatorship. But Maharashtra will not tolerate this for long, change is inevitable!”
Both Shinde and Fadnavis appealed people to maintain peace and also told the political parties not to take political advantage of the situation. “A committee under the chief minister is looking into ways to restore the reservation given to Marathas which was set aside by the Supreme Court,” Fadnavis added.
Responding to Pawar’s charges, he said, “What has he done on the issue of reservation for the Maratha community? I secured the reservation – it was upheld by the Bombay high court but set aside by the apex court when MVA was in power.”
Community hits back
Virendra Pawar, the convenor of Maratha Kranto Morcha, called it “an inhuman and brutal attack” on the Maratha community. “The community has always believed in peaceful agitation. This has never happened in the history of the state. The officers who were involved in the lathicharge should be sacked.”
Vinod Patil, one of the petitioners in Marathta reservation movement called it a “leaderless agitation with the spontaneous participation from the community members”. He said the administration was against it and wanted the protestors to end it. “However, the method adopted for this is condemnable. It should have been resolved through dialogue. A brutal lathicharge is not the way for ending a peaceful protest.”
Condemning the incident, former MP Chatrapati Sambhajiraje Bhosale, who has been at the forefront of the issue, said, “If this incident sparks anger and there is any law-and-order problem in state, home minister Devendra Fadnavis and the government will be responsible for it.”
After the news of the attack on Maratha activists spread in the region, some organisations have declared Beed bandh on Saturday.
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