The Opposition leaders staged a protest outside the Maharashtra Vidhan Bhavan over the Maratha Reservation issue ahead of the Budget session 2024. Earlier in the morning, Maratha protestors set a state transport bus on fire at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk in Tirthpuri city, Ambad taluka.
The Maratha community has been protesting against the state government on the issue of the Maratha reservation for several years. The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly (lower house) unanimously passed the Maratha Reservation Bill tabled in February, which intended to extend 10 per cent reservation to Marathas above the 50% cap.
Opposition Leaders Hold Protest Outside Vidhan Bhavan:
Refusing to call off his hunger strike even after the adoption of the quota bill in the Assembly on February 20, Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil demanded that the NDA government implement the 'Sage Soyare' ordinance notification within two days, failing which the majority community in the state will launch a fresh round of agitation on February 24.