Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said that the government is ready to talk as Maratha groups called-off the protest after violence during the bandh called to press their demand for reservation in jobs and education.
The Maratha Kranti Morcha had given the call for the bandh, demanding an apology from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for alleging that some members from the community were planning violence at Pandharpur town in Solapur district.
During protests today, buses were attacked and incidents of arson and stone pelting at local trains were reported in several parts of Maharashtra, including Mumbai and the adjoining Thane city,
"The government has taken cognisance of protest by Maratha community and has taken several decisions. The government is ready to talk to them," said Fadnavis in a statement.
The chief minister also said that the government is ready to take an appropriate decision over the confusion prevailing among Sakal Maratha Samaj about mega recruitment.
Fadnavis said that the protest taking place over the last few days, suicides and attempt to suicide by protestors are saddening.
In an indirect attack on Sharad Pawar, Fadnavis said that some political leaders are taking benefit of the issue by letting it boil, and urged them to help resolve the issue.
In a statement issued on Tuesday night, Pawar lamented that instead of taking the grievances of the community seriously, the chief minister and certain ministers have given provocative statements. Pawar had also objected Fadnavis' remarks that snakes might be set loose in Pandharpur by the protesters to create a scare among warkaris on the day of Ashadhi Ekadashi.
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The bandh in the financial capital of India, which began this morning, was called off just before 3 pm after various parts saw violence.
"We only wanted to prove that we are together and proved it. We never wanted protests to get violent and therefore, we are calling off our bandh in Mumbai for today," Virendra Pawar, leader of the Morcha, told reporters here.
"We suspect some people carried out violent activities with political motives. Otherwise, it was supposed to be peaceful like before. But considering the reports of violence coming from outside Mumbai, we decided to call it off," Pawar added.
Marathas, a politically-influential community constituting around 30 per cent of the state's population, have been demanding reservation in jobs and education.
The community members have earlier taken out several rallies in various districts to highlight their demands.
Last year, a huge rally was organised by the Maratha Kranti Morcha in this connection in Mumbai.
On Sunday last, a 27-year-old protester, Kakasaheb Shinde, jumped off a bridge over Godavari River in Aurangabad and died. This led to intensification of the agitation.
