Grant quota to Marathas under OBC category by Tuesday or face consequences: Jarange tells govt

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Aug 25 (PTI) Activist Manoj Jarange on Monday gave the Maharashtra government an August 26 ultimatum to grant a 10 per cent quota to the Maratha community under the OBC grouping, or face the wrath of protesters, drawing a sharp response from the BJP.

Jarange said he would proceed to Mumbai on Wednesday and sit on an indefinite hunger strike on August 29 if the government fails to accept his demand. The BJP hit back, virtually dubbing Jarange a pawn of NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and accusing him of selectively targeting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. "I can overturn the government if the quota is not given. I will not listen to anyone once I leave Antarwali Sarathi village," Jarange told reporters in Jalna district.

He said the march to Mumbai will start on August 27, Ganesh Chaturthi day.

"On August 28, we will go to the Shivneri Fort and then via Rajgurunagar, Chakan, Lonavala, Panvel, Vashi, and Chembur, we will reach Azad Maidan. I will sit on a hunger strike on August 29," he said.

He reiterated demands for granting Kunbi caste certificates to Maratha community members and implementing the Hyderabad, Satara, and Bombay gazettes.

"We will not block traffic or create chaos in Mumbai. We are going peacefully to get justice. Reservation must come from the OBC quota, not from the 10 per cent quota of the Economically Backward Class," he said and alleged that the government had not implemented the "sage soyare" deaft notification for 18 months.

The Marathi term “sage soyare” means through birth relations and through relations by marriage.

"If the government remains adamant, it will be dangerous for the state and the country. Those in power must not be stubborn. People's resentment against Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is growing because of his rigid stance. If we are not given a reservation, the government will face consequences," Jarange added.

Jarange has been leading the campaign demanding that all Marathas be recognised as Kunbis — an agrarian caste included in the OBC category — thereby making them eligible for reservation in education and government jobs.

He said the state government's move to include 29 castes in the OBC category has provoked the Maratha community.

Jarange claimed he called all 288 MLAs in Maharashtra, including CM Fadnavis and Deputies Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, over the phone two months ago and asked them to listen to "cries of the poor Maratha community".

He appealed to doctors, teachers, bus conductors, farmers, and businessmen from the Maratha community, along with common people, to join the protest in Mumbai.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused Jarange of making foul remarks against the mother of Fadnavis, a charge denied by the activist.

Saffron party leaders alleged Jarange harbours hatred towards Fadnavis and his family.

Senior BJP leader and MLC Pravin Darekar said, "Civilised Maharashtra will never forgive Jarange. The Bombay High Court has banned DJs and high-decibel sound systems (during social events), and the responsibility (for enforcement) lies with the police, but Jarange attacks the CM's mother (over the issue)." "Obsessed with personal hatred towards Fadnavis, he insulted his mother. A person who uses such foul language cannot be a follower of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. On one hand, he praises (NCP-SP president) Sharad Pawar, while on the other, he abuses the Chief Minister's mother - what kind of agitation is this?" he asked.

Another BJP MLC, Prasad Lad, also slammed the quota activist.

State BJP media chief Navnath Ban claimed Jarange had crossed all limits.

Ban targeted Sharad Pawar (84) for not doing anything about Maratha reservation when he was Maharashtra Chief Minister, a post he held multiple times, and pointed out it was Fadnavis, who as CM (2014-19), first gave quota to the community (later struck down by the Supreme Court).

"He (Jarange) has used inappropriate language against the mother of Chief Minister Fadnavis. When Sharad Pawar was in power, he never took any decision regarding Maratha reservation in education and jobs, but Jarange praises Pawar's energy at this age," the state BJP media chief said.

Jarange, however, denied the charge.

"I did not use any abusive words (against CM's mother). If anything (disparaging) has been said, I take it back," he told reporters. PTI COR AW ND GK RSY NSK