Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis called an urgent meeting to address the ongoing Maratha movement. The meeting, centered around the Maratha reservation issue, took place at Varsha, the Chief Minister’s residence. Key attendees included Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, chairman of the Maratha reservation sub-committee, and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar. Also present was Justice Sandeep Shinde (Retd.), the head of the Shinde Committee.
The meeting specifically focused on the Hyderabad Gazette and the Satara Gazette, exploring their potential implementation. Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil had a prior meeting with the Advocate General at the Royal Stone bungalow to discuss legal considerations surrounding the gazettes.
Following the meeting at the Chief Minister’s residence, the government plans to present a proposal to Manoj Jarange Patil. This proposal will be delivered by the Shinde Committee. The presence of Ajit Pawar has added further significance to the meeting.
The state government is preparing a draft Government Resolution (GR) related to the reservation for the Maratha community. This draft will be reviewed by Maharashtra’s Advocate General before being put into effect.
The Maratha agitation is now in its fourth day. Manoj Jarange Patil has begun a fast without water. A new stage is being constructed to protect the protesters from rain and mud and to offer more space for the Maratha activists. This suggests the reservation movement might extend, and the Maratha Coordination Committee is ready for a long-term effort if a concrete solution isn’t swiftly provided by the state government.
‘Bhakri Thecha’ is being provided to over 50,000 people who have gathered at Azad Maidan in South Mumbai. The ‘Bhakri Thecha’ consists of bhakri made of bajra and jowar which lasts for 4-5 days, and thecha made of chili and coconut. A fresh contingent of 10,000 activists is en route to Mumbai from Marathwada.
The BMC administration has also made arrangements for toilets, water, and shade at Azad Maidan due to the large gathering. The muddy areas have been filled with stone grit to prevent accumulation of mud. The rain continues intermittently.