The Maratha agitation has put pressure on the ruling BJP-led government (File)
A 21-year-old man who got injured in stone-pelting in Navi Mumbai during Maratha protests for reservation, which turned violent in Vashi, Kopar Khairane and Kamother, died on Thursday. The victim has been identified as Rohan Todkar, a resident of Kopar Khairane.
Mr Todkar was admitted to state run JJ Hospital on Wednesday after he suffered injuries. The doctors declared him dead on Thursday. The body was handed over to his family after a post-mortem examination.
The agitation, which is still going on in some parts of the state, has put pressure on the ruling BJP-led government. On Thursday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis held a meeting with his party members to try and hammer out a solution as the protests refused to die down. State BJP President Raosaheb Danve said," The state BJP has passed a resolution that the party supports the demand for a quota for the Maratha community and the government is in favour of supporting the Maratha community."
"The matter is pending in court and we will ask the commission to file its report so that we can submit it to court as soon as possible," Mr Danve added. The BJP also blamed the previous government for the delay in implementing the quota.
One of the BJP's Maratha faces and senior cabinet minister Chandrakant Patil said, "The Chief Minister has called for an all party meeting to discuss the ongoing agitation by a the Maratha community for quotas. Invites to all parties will be sent on Friday. We will discuss the issue and try and find a solution on the issue of the quotas."
The opposition has blamed the government for letting the situation go out of hand, and the delay by the government to act on the demands of the Maratha community is the reason for the protests turning from 'silent' to 'violent'. One opposition leader described the move as an "attempt by the chief minister to save his chair."
The government says there are hopes to find a solution through discussion. It has appealed to the protesters to not indulge in violence.