In a significant development, Hemant Godse, an MP affiliated with the Shinde faction from Nashik, has submitted his resignation to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde amidst the ongoing and intense Maratha reservation movement.
The Maratha community, under the leadership of activist Manoj Jarange, has reignited their agitation to demand reservations in government jobs and educational institutions. Jarange, who has been on an indefinite fast in a Jalna district village since October 25, has been a key figure in this renewed protest.
Monday witnessed large-scale violence in Beed district during the Maratha quota agitation, escalating tensions further. Earlier, MP Hemant Patil, also affiliated with the Shinde faction from Hingoli, had submitted his resignation to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in a show of support for the movement.
Adding to the growing momentum of the Maratha reservation demand, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Beed district in central Maharashtra resigned from the legislative assembly. Laxman Pawar, representing the Gevrai assembly segment, cited the prolonged delay in addressing the Maratha quota issue as the reason for his resignation. This move is particularly significant, given the BJP's participation in the Shiv Sena-led ruling coalition, where the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) is also a constituent.
The political landscape saw further shifts as Shiv Sena MPs from Nashik and Hingoli in Maharashtra, both loyal to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, resigned in solidarity with the Maratha reservation demand.
Maratha reservation unrest hits Beed: Worst-affected district
As a response to the intensifying unrest, internet services were temporarily suspended in Beed, central Maharashtra. The agitation reached its peak on the night of October 29, with incidents of buses and government vehicles being torched in the district. A curfew was imposed in a 5-kilometer radius around the collector office, the head offices of talukas, and all national highways traversing the district to maintain order. The situation remains fluid as the Maratha community's demands continue to gain momentum and political repercussions unfold.