Internet services suspended in Jalna district amid Maratha reservation agitation

Internet services have been temporarily suspended in Maharashtra's Jalna district due to recent incidents of violence in the Marathwada region related to the ongoing agitation for Maratha community reservation in government jobs and education, PTI reported. This decision was taken as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of rumours and misinformation during the protests.

Jalna, located in central Maharashtra and around 400 kilometres from Mumbai, has become a focal point of the ongoing Maratha reservation agitation. Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange initiated an indefinite fast in the district last week to show support for the demand for reservations.

The local administration ordered the suspension of internet services to maintain public order and curb any potential escalation of violence or arson associated with the protest. The government's decision reflects concerns over the possible misuse of online platforms to incite or exacerbate the unrest.

As the Maratha community continues to push for reservations in government jobs and educational institutions under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, tensions remain high in various parts of the state.

On Monday, Beed district, which is also part of Marathwada, saw large-scale violence and arson by quota protesters who torched homes of two Nationalist Congress Party (NCL) MLAs and a municipal council building during the agitation. Beed, along with another district in the region, Dharashiv, has been under curfew since Monday.