Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil.
Credit: PTI Photo
Jalna: Quota activist Manoj Jarange on Sunday claimed that the issue of Maratha reservation has remained unresolved due to pressure from Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and state minister Chhagan Bhujbal.
The activist had announced an indefinite fast from July 20 if the government failed to grant the reservation to Marathas by midnight on July 13.
Speaking to reporters at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, Jarange said, "The government has not addressed the issue though the July 13 deadline has passed. I believe Fadnavis and Bhujbal might have pressured the government not to solve the problem of Maratha reservation."
Jarange has been leading protests demanding OBC certificates for recognising all Kunbis (agriculturists) and their “sage soyre” (blood relatives) as Marathas. In February, the Maharashtra legislature passed a bill providing 10 per cent reservation for the community in education and government jobs amid ongoing protests.
The activist claimed that state Minister Shambhuraj Desai, a member of the Maratha sub-quota committee, has not contacted him.
"We trusted Desai, but he has not contacted us yet. He might have been pressured to not engage with activists," he said.
Jarange said a decision will be made on July 20 regarding a meeting of Maratha leaders, and they will decide whether the community will field 288 candidates in the upcoming state assembly elections or hold a protest march in Mumbai.
"We have to go to Mumbai to get our right. It is our democratic right to hold peaceful protest," he said.
The activist accused Bhujbal of inciting the Other Backward Classes (OBC) against the Maratha reservation but expressed confidence that the community would eventually understand the minister's tactics.
Bhujbal had pitted the Dhangar community against Marathas, Jarange claimed and suggested that the community demand quota under the Scheduled Tribe category.