Maratha quota: Special Maharashtra legislature session on Feb 20, says CMO

Manoj Jarange. File Pic

A special session of the Maharashtra legislature will be held on February 20 to discuss Maratha quota and other demands of the community, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said on Wednesday evening, reported the PTI.

Maratha activist Manoj Jarange is on hunger strike since February 10 demanding that such a session be convened to address the community's demand of quota.

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The issue was discussed in the state cabinet meeting on Wednesday after which it was decided to hold a special session, the CMO statement said, as per the PTI.

Meanwhile, a bandh called on Wednesday in Maharashtra's Beed and Latur districts in support of the agitation by Maratha activist Manoj Jarange has remained peaceful, officials said, according to the PTI.

Manoj Jarange's indefinite fast at his native place Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district entered the fifth day on Wednesday.

Beed Superintendent of Police Nandkumar Thakur said earlier, "The bandh has been peaceful and 70-80 per cent successful till noon. Earlier, I had a meeting with the leaders concerned and appealed for peace. Schools in Beed city and some markets across the district have remained shut," the PTI reported.

In Beed city, market areas of Subhash Road, Dhondipura and Bajarpeth remained closed, he said, adding that there has been no untoward incident in the district so far.

According to the PTI, Thakur said some police stations in the district had received letters from Maratha outfits about their plan to call for a bandh on Wednesday in support of Manoj Jarange's agitation.

In Latur city, the bandh was successful and the situation remained peaceful. Roads looked deserted.

A large number of Maratha community members gathered at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk in the morning and raised the slogan 'Ek Maratha Lakh Maratha'.
Shops, establishments and most schools and colleges across the city remained shut during the day.

Manoj Jarange has been observing the indefinite fast demanding inclusion of the Maratha community into the Other Backward Class (OBC) grouping. His health condition deteriorated on Wednesday and he was given intravenous (IV) fluids while he was asleep during the protest, an activist close to him said.

(with PTI inputs)