Manoj Jarange Patil, an activist for Maratha quota, has announced an indefinite hunger strike, which he will start on January 20 at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan in an effort to put more pressure on the government to give reservations to the Maratha community.
Manoj Jarange Patil, a Maratha quota activist, has started an indefinite hunger strike in an effort to put further pressure on the government to provide the Maratha community reservations, according to a PTI report. He is scheduled to start his strike on January 20 at Azad Maidan in Mumbai, according to the article.
On the other hand, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has advised caution, given the Supreme Court’s approval of the state government’s curative argument over the Maratha reservation problem. Shinde has proposed a “window of hope” for the community in a video message, and a hearing has been set for January 24.
To highlight the resolve of the Maratha people, Jarange revealed his plans for a hunger strike to a sizable gathering in the Beed region of Marathwada. He declared, “I will start an indefinite hunger strike at the Azad Maidan in Mumbai from January 20.” It is not easy to put an end to the Marathas. Without securing a reservation for the community, we won’t be going back.”
He announced that he will be walking from his Antarwali Sarati hamlet in Jalna district on January 20, expecting a huge turnout from the Maratha population in Mumbai, according to the PTI report. It is said that Chief Minister Shinde, highlighting the social and economic backwardness of the Maratha community, stated in a video message that the government’s legal team, made up of seasoned solicitors, will present the state’s case before the Supreme Court. He highlighted significant data collection efforts made by the State Backward Class Commission regarding the plight of the Maratha community. Asserting the government’s resolve to give reservations to the Maratha community, Shinde urged people to maintain their composure. His emphasis was on maintaining other groups’ quota benefits while advocating for the Marathas’ reservation.
The report also stated that Shinde commended the previous government’s efforts to grant Maratha reservation, which were upheld by the Bombay High Court but later annulled by the Supreme Court because the current Maha Vikas Aghadi government, led by Uddhav Thackeray, had not sufficiently validated them. “While obtaining factual information about the Maratha community, consideration shall be given to the observations made by the Supreme Court (during its decision to overturn the reservation). This will support the Supreme Court case presentation,” the CM stated.
