Maratha quotas given, but unrelenting Jarange-Patil to start fresh stir from Feb 24

Jalna (Maharashtra): A day after the Maharashtra Government proposed to give 10 per cent reservation in education and government jobs, a miffed and unrelenting Shivba Sanghatana leader Manoj Jarange-Patil on Wednesday announced a fresh statewide agitation from February 24.

Speaking to the media at his village Antaravali-Sarati on Wednesday afternoon, Jarange-Patil claimed that the government had given quotas to the Marathas but “not as required by the community” and that was “not acceptable.”

On the 12th day of his indefinite hunger strike, Jarange-Patil reiterated his original demand to declare the Marathas as ‘Kunbis’ (falling in the OBC category) and grant them separate quotas from the OBCs, plus the formal notification of the ‘Sage-Soyare’ (family bloodline).

“The government has not given what we demanded. The Special Session of Legislature was held for political reasons ahead of the elections. We have to safeguard the interests of the Marathas. They have given us the motorcycle but no petrol, so it's not acceptable to us,” he declared.

In order to compel the government to concede to the demands, Jarange-Patil announced a Maharashtra-wide peaceful agitation starting from February 24.

This will include daily roadblocks from 10.30 am-1 pm, and again from 4-7 pm, to avoid inconveniencing the students writing their HSC exams.

The stir will also include processions and demonstrations in all villages, towns and cities. He also appealed to senior Marathas to join in hunger strikes in their villages but warned that “if any aged Maratha is sacrificed to the cause, the government would be held responsible.”

Calling for a boycott, Jarange-Patil urged Marathas in all villages not to allow political leaders to enter their territories and to stop or confiscate election campaign vehicles outside the villages.

He demanded that the government “should not hold elections till the Maratha quotas are given as per our demands.”

While appealing to the Marathas to ensure peaceful agitation, the Shivba Sanghatana chief also cautioned,“If the government or police harass our youth, then they would face the repercussions.”

Meanwhile, in a surprise development, a person named Ajay Maharaj Baraskar launched a scathing attack on Jarange-Patil, accusing him of “destroying the Marathas’ cause and ruining many families by his ill-conceived agitation that has been dragging on for the early seven months.”

“He has no brains, is just a publicity-seeker, uses abusive language towards one and all, is arrogant and adamant, he insults many people… He wants Marathas to be declared as OBCs, how can this be possible? Who asked him to launch this agitation or sit on an indefinite hunger strike,” fumed Baraskar.