Mumbai: Two legislatures of Maharashtra Assembly have submitted their resignation letters in support of Maratha community’s demand for reservations in government jobs and education followed by the violent protests in Aurangabad and other districts on Tuesday and Wednesday. The protests proved too violent in Mnakhurd in Mumbai and Vashi and Kalamboli in Navi Mumbai. A total of 447 people have been detained in relation to the violence in which buses were being set on fire and stone being thrown.

The two lawmakers who decided to resign are Harshavardhan Jadhav of the Shiv Sena and Bhausaheb Patil Chikatgaonkar of the NCP. Mr. Chikatgaonkar represents the Vaijapur assembly constituency and Mr. Jadhav represents Kannad constituency. The Shiv Sena has 63 lawmakers and the NCP has got 41 makers in the 288 member House.

The Shiv Sena has attacked the government for allowing the protests to go out of hand. “For a Chief Minister who takes the credit for everything, where was he for 24 hours yesterday? Fadnavis is only now talking about negotiating with the protesters,” the Shiv Sena said in an editorial, in its party mouthpiece Saamna. The editorial goes on to say, “Had the Chief Minister spoken to protesters a week ago, the violence could have been avoided and the suicide by a protester could have been stopped too,” effectively blaming the Devendra Fadnavis for yesterday’s arson.

On Thursday, peace returned to Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Raigad, and Thane after a day of violence over the roads and streets and at last ended in a standoff between the police and protesters who are all demanding reservations for the Maratha community. As of today, no fresh protests have been reported. The protests on Wednesday peaked after the strike was called off in Mumbai and ended in an hour-long dramatic standoff between the police and protesters in Kalamboli in Raigad district.

The Congress party in opposition too, on Tuesday, blamed Mr. Fanavis for the Maratha reservation agitation going too violent and demanded his resignation. The state government faced accusation from Congress leader of Opposition in the Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil for dilly-dallying on the demands of the community, while it was taking out “silent” protests across to demand their requirements including reservation in jobs and education. The Chief Minister, however, has put the whole blame on the Opposition parties for fanning the violence.

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