NAGPUR: Amid a raging controversy over reservations in the state, the Marathas have joined hands with the Jats to take the quota battle forward at the national level. A meeting of the leaders of Maratha Mahasangh and the Akhil Bharatiya Jat Mahasabha was held at Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi on Monday to chalk out a joint strategy.Another meeting has been planned on Tuesday, during which a joint forum of Jat and Marathas will be formed. Both communities plan to raise the reservation issue before the Centre, and hold protests in Delhi soon.We may be in different states but have a common cause. Even if the Marathas get OBC reservation in Maharashtra, it would not be enough. Even Jats do have quota in some of the states. What we want is that even the Centre should grant reservation, said Yudhvirsingh Sherawat, general secretary of Jat Mahasabha.Sambaji Dahatonde, general secretary of the Maratha Mahsasangh, said apart from Jats, a similar meeting will be held to rope in all the communities demanding reservations as OBCs. This can include Patidars, Gujjars to even Gujar Patils. The idea is to bring all the groups together. Maratha Mahasangh has planned a meeting at Pune on February 7.Both Maratha and Jat reservations have been turned down by Supreme Court, which makes a case for joint struggle, said Rajesh Nimalkar, Maratha Mahasangh coordinator. The Jats have been persistently carrying forward the struggle and so are the Marathas. To amplify their voice before the Centre, a Maratha-Jat Reservation Coordination Committee needs to be formed, says the letter Nimalkar wrote on behalf of Marathas. Nimalkars letter to Jats led to the invitation to Marathas for the meeting held on Monday.We also published the following articles recentlyMaratha quota protests: Shiv Sena (UBT) delegation meets President Droupadi MurmuShiv Sena (UBT) leaders, including MP Sanjay Raut, met with President Droupadi Murmu to discuss the ongoing protests over reservations for the Maratha and Dhangar communities in India. They requested an all-inclusive reservation policy and asked the President to direct the government to amend the constitution and increase the reservation cap beyond 50%. Raut emphasized that the issue cannot be resolved by the state government alone and that a special session of Parliament or the upcoming winter session should address the matter. President Murmu assured them that she would look into the issue.No, Mughals did not rename Aligarh, it was the MarathasThe Aligarh Municipal Corporation has passed a resolution to rename Aligarh as Harigarh and sent the recommendation to the Uttar Pradesh government for approval. The idea of renaming the city has been under consideration since 2019, and calls for name changes have increased after other cities in Uttar Pradesh were renamed. However, the historical roots of the city trace back to its original name, Kol or Koil, and renaming it as Harigarh is seen as a political move to marginalize the Muslim community. The focus should be on improving the citys infrastructure and amenities rather than engaging in identity politics.Maratha agitation: Man sets self ablaze, battles for lifeA 27-year-old man named Krishna Bhalerao set himself on fire during a protest demanding reservation for the Maratha community in education and employment. He is now battling for his life with severe burns on his face, arms, chest, and stomach. Krishnas family, who owns land and works as farmers, is struggling to understand why he attempted self-immolation. They are also disappointed with the lack of support from political groups. Krishnas condition is critical, and his recovery may take some time.

Stay updated with all the Latest Nagpur headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.