“If they want to prosecute me, I have no problem, but they would be inviting trouble.”
Mumbai:
Activist Manoj Jarange on Monday announced that he is calling off his 17-day-old fast over the Maratha quota issue, but insisted that he will continue his agitation until the Maharashtra government releases the extended family members of those Kunbi does not start issuing caste certificates to those who already have such documents. So that they can be allowed to avail the benefits of reservation.
Jarange’s decision came a day after he announced a march to Mumbai to press for his demands related to quota in jobs and education for the Maratha community and coincidentally with the beginning of the budget session of the state legislature in Mumbai. Was.
Last week, both houses of the state legislature unanimously passed a bill providing 10 per cent separate reservation for the Maratha community in education and government jobs. Jarange has been on an indefinite hunger strike since February 10 at Antarwali Sarti village in Jalna district, however, he has insisted on reservation for Marathas under the OBC category and is continuing his fast.
“Though I am postponing my agitation (hunger strike) today, 3 to 4 youths will sit here and fast every day for our demands. I will also visit some villages and explain my stand to them. They could not come. ” Meet me here (in Antarwali Sarti village) due to restrictions imposed by the Home Department,” he said.
When asked about the several police complaints lodged against them over the reservation movement, the activists appeared unimpressed.
“If they want to prosecute me, I have no problem, but (by doing so) they will invite trouble. People will be angry and the CM and the home minister will have to face the consequences. Now it is their decision,” he said. “
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday evening warned Maratha quota workers, asking them not to test the patience of the state government after Jarenj made some allegations against Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio. Jarange had also made some mention of BJP leader Fadnavis being a Brahmin by caste.
The activist had earlier said that the Maratha quota bill cannot stand legal scrutiny.
In the wake of Jarange’s fast, the government recently issued a draft notification stating that if a Maratha person has documentary evidence to show that he or she belongs to the farmer Kunbi community, that person’s ‘Rishi Soyar’ or Blood relatives will also get it. Kunbi caste certificate.
The Kunbi community falls in the Other Backward Class (OBC) category, and Jarange is demanding that Kunbi certificates be issued to all Marathas, making them eligible for quota benefits.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
