Jarange Patil Gives 4-days Ultimatum to Shinde Government for Maratha Quota

Mumbai: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil has urged the Maharashtra Government to decide on the Maratha quota issue before January 26 when he plans to hold an indefinite hunger strike in Mumbai during his agitation.

The Maharashtra government is working on separate reservations for the Maratha community without affecting the existing reservations for the SC, ST and OBC categories. The process is time consuming and any decision will face legal scrutiny, which is why the government is seeking more time. However, Jarange Patil is demanding inclusion of the Marathas in the OBC category by certifying that all Marathas are ‘Kunbis’, which is one of the castes included in the OBC category. The activist has said that he is not opposed to the separate reservation, but wants the government to give reservation without wasting any more time.

“The government has a limited time frame of four days to fulfil the Maratha community’s reservation demand. The community was eligible for the reservation but was deprived. We should have got the reservation by now, but the government had been seeking more time for the last seven months. Now, Marathas cannot wait for more,” Jarange Patil said on Sunday.

To press for the demand of Maratha reservation, the quota activist has undertaken a march from Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna on January 20 and will reach Mumbai on January 26. Jarange Patil accused the state government of pressurising the Marathas not to participate in the march in Mumbai. “Some people (in the government) are using arrogant language with us. But no one can ask us to not go to Mumbai. This is our final battle for reservation,” he said.

“Holding rallies and marching for our demands falls within the framework of democracy. I have even sought permission for a sit-in agitation in Mumbai,” the activist added.

Jarange Patil also alleged that some of the ministers in the Shinde-led Mahayuti government were trying to spoil the march warning he will reveal their names at an appropriate time. He also targeted NCP leader and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. “Ajit Pawar should have questioned the state government over the delay in granting quota to Marathas. But instead, he is speaking against the reservation,” he said.

Chief minister Eknath Shinde has urged Jarange Patil and other protesters to end their agitation. He said that the government is positive and Jarange Patil should stop the protest as it will lead to inconvenience. “We will give reservations that stand the scrutiny of the courts and fit in the framework of the law,” the CM said.

Jarange Patil will reach Pune on Tuesday as the march entered Ahmednagar district on Sunday. Due to the large number of participants with their vehicles, the Pune police have already announced traffic restrictions and diversions to avoid the possibility of traffic congestion on rally route and the surrounding areas.