Jarange has warned the government that if the demands of the community are not met, it will have to face consequences in the upcoming assembly elections. Jarange is demanding the implementation of the draft notification in which the Kunbi community has been recognized as members of the Maratha community and given OBC reservation.
Maratha activist Manoj Jarange in Maharashtra on Tuesday began an indefinite fast demanding reservation for his community under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. This is Jarange’s sixth fast in a period of over a year. He began the fast at midnight at his native place Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, about 75 km from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Addressing reporters before his agitation, Jarange accused the Maharashtra government of deliberately not granting reservation to the community and said the Marathas were giving Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis “one more chance” to meet their demands.
He also warned the ruling parties that if the demands of the community are not met, they will have to face consequences in the upcoming assembly elections. Jarange is demanding the implementation of the draft notification that recognises the Kunbi community as ‘sage soyre’ (blood relatives) of the Maratha community members and grants them reservation under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.
Jarange said he also wants the cases registered against several members of the Maratha community during his agitation to be withdrawn. “The Maratha community is important to me, but the government is deliberately not giving reservation. Moreover, they say we are speaking political language… I will not speak political language now, but this is another opportunity for Deputy Chief Minister Fadnavis,” he said.
He said, “My community does not want to enter politics. The government should pass an ordinance that Marathas and Kunbis are the same. The ordinance passed in 2004 should be amended. The notification of ‘blood relatives’ should be implemented immediately. On the basis of the certificates issued, whoever demands it should be given the certificate. The cases registered against the agitators should be withdrawn.”
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Jarange said that the leaders supporting Fadnavis should talk to him. The community is watching who will give reservation. He warned that he should not be blamed for any consequences later. This is his sixth indefinite fast since September 1 last year. Jarange questioned the government’s ‘inaction’ on the draft ‘Sage Soyre’ (blood relatives) notification and demanded the implementation of the ‘Gazette’ of the erstwhile Hyderabad and Satara princely states and the Bombay Presidency era.
“Students who have filled forms (for admission to academic courses) from the economically weaker section (EWS) category are being turned away without any reason. This should be stopped. All three options for EWS, OBC and socially and economically backward (SEBC) should be kept open. Candidates from the Maratha community will choose one of them,” he said.
In February this year, the Maharashtra Assembly unanimously passed a bill providing 10 per cent reservation for Marathas in education and government jobs under a separate category, but Jarange is adamant on his demand for quota for the community under the OBC category.
