Mumbai: On Saturday, Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil started his march in the direction of Mumbai to begin an “indefinite hunger strike”, which he stated he was undecided he’ll survive.
Describing it because the “final battle” in his demand for reservation for the Maratha neighborhood, Jarange-Patil reiterated that the protestors wouldn’t “back down”.
The Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra authorities tried to unsuccessfully cease the activist as he began from his village — Antarwali Sarati, in Maharshtra’s Jalna district. He was joined by others from the neighborhood and plenty of extra are anticipated to affix on the best way, as he travels to the state capital to begin his quick from 26 January.
This will probably be Jarange-Patil’s third starvation strike since August final yr.
“We tried to stop him, but he is still going ahead. We are still trying to speak to him and see what can be done,” a authorities consultant advised ThePrint on situation of anonymity.
ThePrint has additionally reached the chief minister’s workplace (CMO) for touch upon Jarange beginning his march to Mumbai, the report will probably be up to date if and when a response is obtained.
Addressing the media earlier than ranging from his village, Jarange-Patil stated, “We are of the firm opinion that we will not back down before getting the reservation. Let anything happen, we are firm with our demands.”
With tears in his eyes, he added: “I want to tell all the Marathas that I don’t know till when I will be alive, but you should not back down before getting the reservation. I don’t know if my body will support me in this indefinite hunger strike, but this is our final battle.”
A day earlier than, Jarange-Patil had urged each Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis to look into the difficulty of reservation for Marathas severely.
“The resolution of the Maratha reservation issue rests with Fadnavis, and he should come forward and resolve the matter with his heart and mind,” he stated.
Hitting out on the delegation of ministers despatched to dissuade him from beginning his starvation strike, he had additional stated, “Now where are those ministers who were giving tall promises? The government is just trying to kill time and not serious about giving us Kunbi certificates.”
The Supreme Courtroom had in 2021 struck down Maratha reservation in Maharashtra that took the whole quantum of reservation within the state to above 50 p.c. In April this yr, the court docket rejected the state authorities’s evaluate petition on the difficulty, after which the federal government stated it is going to file a healing petition.
Within the meantime, Jarange-Patil has been demanding ‘Kunbi’ caste certificates for all Marathas in Maharashtra, in order that they’re eligible for reservation underneath the ‘Other Backward Classes’ (OBC) class.
The demand, and the federal government’s transfer to nominate a committee to check the opportunity of reservations to Maratha Kunbis, has met with backlash from the OBC neighborhood together with the Kunbis. The committee has already submitted a preliminary report.
Reiterating the federal government’s stand on the difficulty Friday, CM Shinde stated, “We are committed towards giving Marathas reservation. The newly-formed state backward commission is working towards it.”
However Jarange-Patil has demanded that Kunbi caste certificates be issued to 54 lakh Marathas whose data of Kunbi antecedents have been discovered. Whereas the issuing of certificates has began, the method has been alleged to be sluggish.
He additionally questioned the progress made by the committee arrange by the state authorities to handle the quota concern, because it began its work on 23 December final yr.
The activist iterated that authorities guarantees notwhithstanding, he was agency on the quick. “I don’t fear any cases,” he stated, including, “The community is willing to face any legal or police action. Fear of legal consequences will not deter our resolve.”
Additionally learn: In Maratha reservations battle, the struggles of a neighborhood to outline its caste standing
March in the direction of Mumbai
The scheduled 26 January starvation strike, will probably be Jarange-Patil’s third such since August.
The Maratha quota activist had been on protest in final week of August, when CM Shinde persuaded him to interrupt his quick, assuring him of forming a committee to look into the opportunity of Kunbi caste certificates for Marathas.
Jarange-Patil had then given the federal government a month to unravel the difficulty, and was again on starvation strike in October. When he lastly broke his quick after 9 days, he gave the federal government two months to resolve the difficulty.
After the lapse of that deadline he introduced the January protest quick.
Ganesh Shinde, an affiliate of Jarange-Patil, advised ThePrint that the activist will cowl the space to Mumbai get together on foot, and partly by automobile.
The agitators will transfer from Jalna to Shirur to Pune to Panvel, to lastly attain Mumbai in six days.
The neighborhood remains to be in two minds about whether or not to carry the starvation strike in Mumbai’s Azad Maidan or Shivaji Park. That will probably be determined in coming days, stated sources in the neighborhood.
In the meantime, the newly-formed Maharashtra state backward fee (after earlier members resigned) will start its survey to find out the eligibility of Maratha for Kunbi certificates from 23 January.
In line with an announcement from the CMO, the survey is predicted to be accomplished by 31 January.
(Edited by Poulomi Banerjee)
Additionally learn: OBCs say Maratha protests for quotas are a betrayal. ‘They want what was ours’