Maratha agitation: Fadnavis urges calm, says looking into options; protests grow
Pune, July 24 (IBNS): Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has urged protesters to remain calm as unrest in Maharashtra has risen several folds after an agitating man, demanding reservation for the Maratha community in government jobs and education, jumped off a bridge in the state's Aurangabad city and died on Monday.
Fadnavis said his government is accessing the options, pertaining to the community's demands.
The deceased has been identified as Kakasaheb Shinde.
Fueled by the loss of an agitator and the call for reservation, several protests have resorted to arson, setting alight tyres and destroying government properties in several parts of Maharashtra.
The wrath has affected several public services, including trains in Parbhani district.
Earlier on Monday, demanding that the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis tender an apology, the Maratha Kranti Morcha, a pro-Maratha unit, had called for a statewide shutdown.
Media outlet NDTV quoted Ravindra Patil, the coordinator of a pro-reservation group of Marathas, as saying: "We will continue our agitation until Chief Minister Fadnavis apologises to the Maratha community. We will observe bandh in Aurangabad and other parts of the state today."
The outlet has also reported that several groups have planned to take the protest to Mumbai, the financial capital of India.
"In the last few days, protests have also taken place in Buldhana, Akola, Parali, Washim and even in Mumbai," the NDTV report read.
The Marathas have been demanding a reservation for some time now.
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