Maharashtra dy Speaker Narhari Zirwal jumps from 3rd floor of Secretariat: Watch video

A dramatic scene unfolded at Mantralaya, the state secretariat in south Mumbai, on Friday as tribal leaders, including Maharashtra Assembly Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal, jumped onto a safety net in protest over tribal quota issues. According to reports from PTI, no injuries were reported during the incident.

The protest involved several lawmakers from the ruling Mahayuti alliance, including NCP legislators Zirwal and Kiran Lahamate, along with BJP tribal MP Hemant Savara. They leaped from the third floor onto the safety net, which had been installed in 2018 following a series of suicide attempts at the secretariat.



After being removed from the net by police, the tribal leaders regrouped on the ground floor, initiating a sit-in demonstration. They claimed that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had not engaged with them to discuss their demands regarding the tribal quota.

Zirwal expressed his frustration, stating, "I am an adivasi first and then an MLA and a deputy speaker," and urged CM Shinde to meet with the protesters. BJP MLC Gopichand Padalkar criticized the drastic action taken by Zirwal, noting that, given his constitutional position, such measures were unnecessary.

The protest comes amid ongoing demonstrations by students opposing the halt to recruitment under the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA) in Maharashtra, with Zirwal emphasizing the need for government support for these students.

(With inputs from PTI)