Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Monday said that the Maratha community must be given reservations in jobs and education without it affecting such provisions for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, reported the PTI.

According to the news agency, addressing a rally of his RPI (A) in Palghar, Maharashtra the Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment condemned the police action on Maratha quota protestors in Jalna on September 1.

“The RPI was the first to support reservations for the Maratha community. They must be given quota without it affecting reservations provided to SCs and STs,” Ramdas Athawle said, according to the PTI.

On Friday, police had resorted to baton charge and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse a violent mob in Antarwali Sarathi on Dhule-Solapur road after it allegedly refused to let authorities shift a man on hunger strike as part of the quota stir to the hospital.

Several persons. including 40 police personnel, were injured and more than 15 ST buses were set ablaze. Some 360 persons have been booked in connection with the violence.

Speaking on other issues, Ramdas Athawale said he would meet the chief minister to ensure a Babasaheb Ambedkar Bhavan and a super speciality hospital came up in Palghar, as per the PTI.

In reference to the proposed Wadhvan port here, which is facing opposition from the fishing community, the Union minister said all stakeholders must discuss if a good project is coming up and should find an amicable solution.

Athawle said that the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission under the Narendra Modi government had enhanced the reputation of the country.

The Modi government has given free food grains to 80 crore persons, 4 crore persons have got homes and 9 crore have received gas cylinders, Athawale said.

Meanwhile, a shutdown was observed in Aurangabad on Monday protesting the police action against Maratha quota agitators in Jalna on September 1.

Police had reportedly resorted to baton charge and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse a violent mob in Antarwali Sarathi on Dhule-Solapur road that allegedly refused to let authorities shift a man on hunger strike as part of the quota stir to the hospital.

(with PTI inputs)

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