![Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil announces an end to the protests after Maharashtra government accepts their demands, at Shivaji Chowk in Mumbai on January 27, 2024. Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil announces an end to the protests after Maharashtra government accepts their demands, at Shivaji Chowk in Mumbai on January 27, 2024.](https://i0.wp.com/indianewsupdates.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/NDA-and-INDIA-coalitions-lead-in-major-South-Indian-cities.png?w=640&ssl=1)
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil announces an end to the protests after Maharashtra government accepts their demands, at Shivaji Chowk in Mumbai on January 27, 2024.
| Photo Credit: ANI
Maratha activist Manoj Jarange-Patil began an indefinite fast on Saturday, demanding the implementation of a draft notification that recognises all blood relatives of Maratha community members as Kunbis, an agrarian group classified as an other backward class (OBC) community, who are eligible for quota benefits. “I will not give up until the Maratha reservation is granted,” he said.
He also called for the framing of a law to identify Kunbis as Marathas, warning that he would field candidates for all 288 Assembly seats in Maharashtra in the upcoming State election if his demands were not met.
The Maratha quota activist’s fresh agitation began at 10:30 a.m. in his native Antarwali Sarati village in Marathwada’s Jalna district, despite the district administration and police authorities denying him permission.
His demands include other backward class (OBC) status for Marathas, and the implementation of the draft notification issued by the State government earlier this year. Mr. Jarange-Patil vowed to persist until Maratha reservation was granted, accusing the State government of attempting to thwart his protest.
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‘Surprising poll results’
However, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis claimed that a quota for the Maratha community had been granted on two previous occasions by BJP-led governments and expressed astonishment at the recent electoral success of Lok Sabha candidates opposed to Maratha reservations in the Marathwada region.
“Marathas were granted reservations by the BJP-led government on both occasions,” Mr. Fadnavis said, following a party meeting where State BJP legislators passed a resolution reposing faith in him and seeking his continuance as party leader. Without naming specific individuals, he added, “It is surprising that those who opposed reservations since 1980 got maximum votes in Marathwada.”
Mr. Jarange-Patil accused the State government of attempting to disrupt his protest by inciting local residents against him. Some villagers had previously submitted a memorandum to the district administration, requesting that Mr.Jarange-Patil’s protest not be allowed in their village, citing potential threats to communal harmony.
Electoral threat
The activist urged Mr. Shinde and Mr. Fadnavis to address the Maratha reservation issue at the earliest and reiterated that if his demand is not met, he will field candidates from various communities in all 288 Assembly segments in the next State election, though he personally would not engage in electoral politics.
He said that the draft notification for the ‘sage soyare (blood relatives)‘ of Kunbi Marathas should be implemented, and a law should be framed identifying Kunbis as Marathas.
Mr. Jarange-Patil accused Mr. Shinde and Mr. Fadnavis of obstructing the Maratha reservation process, alleging that Mr. Fadnavis had conspired against the Maratha community. However, he added that if the reservation demand was fulfilled, the Maratha community would hold the CM and his deputy in high regard.
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Dhangar, Muslim quotas
Previously, Mr. Jarange-Patil had led an agitation over the quota issue from February 10 to 26. On February 20, the Maharashtra legislature unanimously passed a bill providing 10% reservation for Marathas in education and government jobs under a separate category.
The activist, on Friday, claimed that 57 lakh documents proving that Marathas and Kunbis are the same had been received. He mentioned that once the Maratha reservation goal is achieved, he would campaign for quotas for the Dhangar and Muslim communities as well.
On the impact of the Maratha reservation issue on the recent Lok Sabha elections, he said that his community had demonstrated its strength in the polls, but denied allegations that BJP leader Pankaja Munde’s loss in Beed was due to his appeal to the Maratha community, stating that he neither supported nor opposed any party. “I did not favour any candidate nor was against anyone in the Lok Sabha election,” he said.