Mumbai, July 25: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday agreed to talk to the protesters regarding their demands after violent protests erupted across the state on Wednesday. The Maratha protesters are seeking reservation for the community in government jobs and education. "The government has taken cognisance of protest by Maratha community and has taken several decisions. Govt is ready to talk to them. Govt had made a law for reservation to the community but that was stayed by Bombay HC", Fadnavis said. The Maratha Kranti Morcha, spearheading the agitation, called off the state-wide protest on Wednesday afternoon.

The protest call was taken at a meeting of Maratha organisations at Shivaji Mandir in Mumbai on Tuesday afternoon by the Maratha Kranti Morcha. The Maratha Kranti Morcha, an umbrella body of various community bodies,  had called for a two-day state-wide bandh on Tuesday and Wednesday to press for their demand of 16% reservation and to protest against the death of a protester.

The protests turned violent on Tuesday after the death of a 28-year-old man, Kakasaheb Dattatreya Shinde, who committed suicide by jumping into the Godavari River on Monday. Another protester, Jagannath Sonavne, who attempted suicide by consuming poison yesterday in Aurangabad's Deogaon Rangari, died in a hospital today. Protesters took to streets and blocked the Eastern Expressway. The Sion Panvel highway was also completely blocked. Several BEST buses were vandalised and railway tracks were blocked as Maratha protesters to enforce the day-long bandh.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 25, 2018 05:02 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).