Jarange-Patil says Maharashtra govt accepts demands, to continue protest till ‘orders’

Mumbai: Maratha activist Manoj Jarange-Patil has given 24 hours to the Maharashtra government to issue orders related to his demands. He said that they will continue to stay at Vashi on Friday and wait till 12 on Saturday afternoon after which they will march towards Azad Maidan. The Maratha activist informed that the government has accepted all their demands and the time has been given to them to issue orders for the same.

His main demands are: an ordinance to issue Kunbi certificates to all blood relatives of 57 lakh Marathas with Kunbi antecedents, arrangements for issuing caste certificates for all of them, free KG (Kindergarten) to PG (post graduate) education for Maratha boys and girls, allowing the (retired justice) Sandeep Shinde committee to continue to work for a year, no recruitment in government jobs without Maratha quota and withdrawal of all the criminal cases registered against them during protests held for Maratha reservation in the past.

Jarange-Patil also declared he will take the march to Azad Maidan even if the government issued the respective orders by Saturday. “We have not shunned our plans to march to Azad Maidan. We will go there to celebrate if the government issues all orders pertaining to all our demands, if not then we will begin our indefinite hunger strike from tomorrow,” he stated.

It also means he will come to Mumbai at any cost. At the same time, he has started his hunger strike from Friday morning. The Maratha activist has stopped taking meals from 11 in the morning and is surviving only on water. He announced to begin a full fledged hunger strike at Azad Maidan if his demands are not met in the given time.

Also read: Jarange-Patil refuses to budge, insists on leading Maratha quota march to Mumbai

“I respect republic day (January 26) and the law and thus not going to Azad Maidan today but I will not leave the city… We have come here seeking justice and not to create trouble. If we do not get the ordinance copy by 11 am tomorrow then I will go to Azad Maidan,” Jarange Patil announced.

Demanding reservation to the Maratha community from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota, Jarange-Patil was set to enter Mumbai on Friday. He changed the plan after a government delegation led by Sumant Bhange, secretary, general administration department reached APMC Market to convince him to refrain from entering Mumbai. Bhange also informed that the government has decided to accept all his demands and asked to drop his plan.

“I have demanded issuing Kunbi certificates to all 57 lakh Marathas having Kunbi antecedents. Their blood relatives should also be made eligible for the same, else they will be deprived of the reservation benefits. These certificates need to be issued immediately based on an affidavit filed by the Maratha individual having Kunbi antecedents. The government can verify the claim later on, he said, adding, “This requires an ordinance for implementation. We will wait till Saturday morning after which will take our decision.”

Also read: Jarange-Patil “open to talks” but will still converge on Mumbai

Kunbis are a peasant sub-caste of Marathas but get reservation benefits under the OBC category in Maharashtra. By appointing a Shinde committee the government has managed to find 57 lakh records of Marathas with Kunbi antecedents based on which the Maratha activist is demanding reservation to the community from OBC quota.

Jarange-Patil, who has emerged as the new face of Maratha reservation demand, said that the GAD. “I ask him to share the data of 37 lakh people because we also want to verify the government’s claim.”

The rest of 20 lakh will have to apply to get Kunbi certificates. “We asked them to paste notices outside Tahsildar offices and organize camps to create awareness among the community members without which they will not be able to apply for it,” he said.

Another demand that was accepted according to Jarange-Patil was to provide free education from KG to PG to all the Marathas boys and girls who do not have Kunbi antecedents and cannot prove their blood relation. “The government should provide free education until a decision in a curative petition pending before the Supreme Court.

Also read: Who is Manoj Jarange-Patil, man at forefront of Maratha quota agitation

It was filed after the Supreme Court on May 5, 2020,quashed the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Act, 2018, that provides 12% reservation in education and 13% reservation in government jobs to the Maratha community. A review petition filed by the state government was also dismissed by the apex court on April 21, 2023.

Jarange-Patil has further demanded no recruitment in government jobs until Maratha reservation is cleared. “Even if the government wants to start the drive they will have to keep seats reserved for our quota,” he said.

The march carrying a few lakhs Marathas embarked to Mumbai on January 20. The Maratha activist has declared to sit on a fast unto death until the state government declares reservation to the community that is largely dependent on agriculture is suffering with the income from the same dwindling and limited job opportunities due to less percentage of higher education among its youths.

After traveling for five days, they have reached Vashi, which is in Navi Mumbai, a satellite city of Mumbai.