Maratha reservation: Manoj Jarange-Patil sets 24 Dec deadline to Maha govt

Mumbai: A day after he withdrew from the hunger strike, Maratha reservation campaigner Manoj Jarange-Patil said that he has agreed to the deadline of 24 December 2023 and not 2 January 2024.

The Maharashtra government has swung into action to explore multiple options to give a quota to the community which comprises 33 per cent of the state’s 13 crore population.

After breaking the fast-unto-death following the meeting with the state government delegation at the Antarwali Sarathi village in the Ambad tehsil in Jalna district, Jarange-Pati was shifted to a hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar for treatment and medical check-ups.

Doctors have advised five to six days of medical care for Jarange-Pati.

For his well-being and fulfillment of the demand for the Maratha reservation, his family members - wife, daughter, and sister - are on a pilgrimage to Shree Tulja Bhavani Temple at Tuljapur in the Dharashiv district.

“The deadline given to the government is 24 December (for issuance of Kumbi caste certificates to Marathas so that they can avail benefits under the OBC category)…We have given them a time-bound deadline. Since the government delegation was demanding two months’ time, they must have assumed the deadline to be 2 January. However, seven to eight days here and there does not matter,” Jarange-Patil said from his hospital room.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde thanked Justice M G Gaikwad (Retd), Justice Sunil Shukre (Retd), Advocate Himanshu Sachdev, and others who were part of the delegation that met Jarange-Patil.

CM Shinde also thanked Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar and the four ministerial colleagues Sandipan Bhumare, Dhananjay Munde, Atul Save, and Uday Samant, MLA Bachchu Kadu for breaking the ice.

After Jarange-Patil broke the fast, Shinde spoke to the top leadership of the Shiv Sena, BJP, and NCP about the future course of action.

“Within two months, the screening of Kunbi records across the state will be expedited to provide certificates to the Maratha community. We have started issuing certificates after verifying Kunbi records. Until now, 13,514 records have been found, which is significant.,” Shinde said, adding that the committee headed by Justice Sandeep Shinde (Retd) is doing a great job.

The big task ahead for Maharashtra CM Shinde is to pursue the curative petition in the Supreme Court and hold discussions during the winter session of the Maharashtra legislature scheduled in Nagpur.