Sule Faces Protest; Demands Special Assembly Session on Maratha Quota

Mumbai: NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule on Sunday faced the anger of Maratha protestors during her visit to Azad Maidan, where Manoj Jarange is observing an indefinite fast for reservation under the OBC category for Marathas.

Her vehicle was reportedly attacked by agitated demonstrators who accused party supremo Sharad Pawar of neglecting the Maratha community’s concerns. Later, Sule demanded a special session of the Maharashtra Assembly to address the reservation issue.

Sule sat on a dais with Jarange. As she was leaving the venue, some protesters blocked her car and raised slogans against her father.

Following this, security personnel cleared the way for Sule’s vehicle, and she left the location. Some protestors reportedly attempted to throw a water bottle at her. The incident led to considerable chaos, resulting in a brief period of heightened tension.

Reacting to the incident, BJP MLC Praveen Darekar stated that many Maratha youths were unhappy with the stand taken by Sharad Pawar on the Maratha quota issue. He stated that Pawar Senior was part of the erstwhile state and Central governments for several years, but he did not take any concrete decision regarding Maratha reservation.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis condemned the incident, stating, “Any leader visiting a protest site to engage with demonstrators should be treated with dignity. Acts such as surrounding them, throwing bottles, or creating chaos are unacceptable. Nobody will get anything by indulging in such acts.”