Maha CM should find a way out: Sharad Pawar on Maratha quota protests

Amid tension in Maharashtra's Jalna because of the lathi charge on protestors over the Maratha reservation, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar met the injured agitators and asked for intervention by the Chief Minister.

"I feel CM should intervene in this matter more to find a way out," the NCP chief said after meeting protestors in Jalna.

He further said that state president Jayant Patil and MLA Rajesh Tope informed me about the incident in detail after which we decided to come here.

"We all met the injured in the hospital. Our state president Jayant Patil and MLA Rajesh Tope informed me about the incident in detail... Rajesh Tope requested me to come here as soon as possible, this incident is very serious and if people who are affected are not consoled or taken care then there are chances that the incident might spread across Maharashtra. Therefore Jayant Patil and I decided to come here immediately and meet the people," he added.

"We met the injured in the hospital...While speaking to the injured they said that the situation was normal and the officials were in touch with us and everything was fine but suddenly the police force lathi-charged," Pawar said.

Earlier on Friday, a clash broke out between Police and protesters demanding Maratha Reservation, in Jalna. Police resorted to lathi charges to disperse the protesters.

Condemning the lathi charge by police on the protesters demanding reservation for the Maratha community in Jalna district, Congress leader Ashok Chavan said that it is "unfortunate" that the community is being defamed.

"No one is trying to understand their emotions. There is a lathi charge, tear gas, and rubber bullets are being used... The government should have sent their representatives, they should have spoken to the people, and assured them, then this could have been avoided. Suddenly, a huge police force was increased... This provoked the whole incident," Chavan said.