India News | Jalna Violence Handiwork of Those with Right-wing Ideology Who Wanted to Tarnish Image of Maratha Community, Claims MKM Office Bearer

Jalna, Sep 4 (PTI) A "specific group with a particular right-wing ideology" infiltrated the peaceful protest for Maratha quota here and incited violence on September 1, a Maratha Kranti Morcha office bearer claimed on Monday.

Addressing a press conference, MKM coordinator Sanjay Lakhe Patil also sought inclusion of the Maratha community in the Other Backward Classes so its members get reservations in jobs and education.

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"A specific group of a particular right-wing ideology infiltrated the peaceful protest and incited violence, which tarnished the reputation of the Maratha community. The Maratha Kranti Morcha has a history of organising peaceful protests seeking quota," he told reporters.

The Maratha community must be issued certificates under the category of Kunbis, which is listed as an OBC group in Maharashtra, he added.

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A special session of the Maharashtra Legislature must be convened to solve the Maratha quota issue, Lakhe Patil demanded.

"Action must be taken against the police officers responsible for the incident on Friday. There was excessive use of force against demonstrators," he claimed.

A hunger strike at the site, in Antarwali Sarathi on Dhule-Solapur road, continues, he said.

On Friday, police had resorted to baton charge and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse a violent mob after it allegedly refused to let authorities shift a man on hunger strike as part of the quota stir to the hospital.

Several persons. including 40 police personnel, were injured and more than 15 ST buses were set ablaze. Some 360 persons have been booked in connection with the violence.

Meanwhile, a delegation of the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH), Maharashtra, led by its president Maulana Ilyas Khan visited the site of the hunger strike on Monday and assured support to the cause.

Khan also met protestor Manoj Jarange Patil, who has been on hunger strike seeking reservation in jobs and education for the Maratha community.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)