Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil on Friday gave an ultimatum to the state government led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to accept his demand by 11 am on Saturday (January 27). He also said that the government should issue an ordinance by tonight.
“I’m taking a step back,” the 40-year-old worker said. He said he had stopped eating since Friday and was taking only water. “If an ordinance is not issued tonight (to meet their various demands), I will come to Mumbai tomorrow,” he said.
Free education policy for Marathas
They also put forward a new demand that the Maharashtra government amend its free education policy to include all Marathas until the benefits of reservation are available to the entire community.
He said, the free education policy should be amended so that apart from girls, boys should also get free education and all Marathas should get free education from “KG to PG” (Kindergarten to post-graduation) until the entire community Reservation is not available.
Jarange further said, he has sought data on 37 lakh Kunbi certificates issued by the state government. Kunbi, a farming community, falls in the Other Backward Class (OBC) category, and Jarange is demanding Kunbi certificate for all Marathas.
“The government has told me that 54 lakh Kunbi records (records showing that a Maratha person/family belongs to the Kunbi community) have been found, of which 37 lakh certificates have been given. Who are these people? We need data,” he said.
Jarange said, “After getting Kunbi records, more than two crore Marathas will get OBC certificates.” He said that all Marathas should apply for Kunbi certificate to avail the benefits of reservation.
He demanded that once a person belongs to the Kunbi caste, all his relatives should get reservation. He said that recruitment should be done by reserving some seats for Marathas in the current government jobs.
He has also demanded withdrawal of cases registered against Maratha activists during the reservation protests.
The government is trying to persuade Jarange not to go to Mumbai, sending delegations to hold talks with them.
State Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar told reporters earlier in the day that Jarange’s demands have been accepted, and they will be met as per government procedure.
Will enter Mumbai if demands are not met
He warned that if his demands were not met by tonight, he and his supporters would enter Mumbai on Saturday for their planned protest at Azad Maidan.
Addressing a rally at Shivaji Chowk in Vashi area of neighboring Navi Mumbai, where he arrived in the morning with thousands of his supporters, Jarange said he would remain in Navi Mumbai throughout the day.
“I will take a decision on going to Azad Maidan (in Mumbai) tomorrow afternoon. Once I leave, there will be no looking back,” the activist warned.
Protestors reached the outskirts of Mumbai
Jarange and his supporters reached the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) on the outskirts of Mumbai around 5 am in bikes, cars, jeeps, tempos and trucks.
He had announced on Thursday that he would begin his hunger strike at Azad Maidan from Friday, despite the Mumbai Police not granting him permission to hold the hunger strike in the city by issuing him a notice under Section 149 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which the police Enables to prevent. Serious crime.
Police suggested that the protesters could gather at the International Corporation Park Ground in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai.
(with agency input)
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