Government to review protest cases since 2014

Mumbai: In yet another snub to the BJP, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government has decided to review cases filed during several agitations in last five years. However, it has stated it will not act against anyone hastily and in a prejudiced manner.

The MVA government has already stalled the construction of the metro car shed in Aarey Colony. In addition, it has also withdrawn cases filed against protesters in Aarey and Nanar refinery projects. It has also indicated that a review of several development projects in the state will be taken in the coming days.

In the four hour-long Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, the issue of withdrawing cases against protesters involved in the Maratha agitation came to be discussed.

Moreover, the Cabinet also discussed helping farmers affected by unseasonal rains. A review of the ongoing infrastructure projects was also taken up for discussion.

When asked whether the Shiv Sena-led government would withdraw cases registered against the protesters involved in the Maratha quota agita-tion, Cabinet minister Eknath Shinde admitted that the issue was discussed at length in the meeting.

“We will be reviewing the cases filed in several agitations in the last five years. It has been decided that the unjust cases will be withdrawn. But the government will not act against anyone in a prejudiced manner. The government will not see which party a person belongs to,” said Mr Shinde.

“The Cabinet has also decided to give relief to farmers affected by the unseasonal rains. Providing loan waiver is at the top of the agenda,” he added.

Meanwhile, the pressure has been mounting on the government to take back cases filed in agitations of Maratha reservation, Dhangar reservation and Bhima Koregaon violence.

Cabinet minister Nitin Raut said the government should withdraw cases against the Bhima-Koregaon agitators just like it did in the cases of Aarey and Nanar protests.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Dhana-njay Munde said that the then BJP government had deliberately filed cases against the social activists and citizens in the Bhima Koregaon violence. “The chief minister should give justice to these victims,’ he said.

Mr Munde also said that the cases filed during the Maratha reservation rallies should also be withdrawn. “The morchas carried out to demand reservation for Maratha community were peaceful. Despite this, cases were filed on several agitators by the then BJP government,” he said.

After the NCP, ruling alliance partner Congress on Wednesday demanded withdrawal of cases registered against Maratha reservation agitators.