Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange began an indefinite hunger strike at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district on Saturday. Jarange demanded that the Maharashtra government immediately issue caste certificates based on the 58 lakh Kunbi records identified earlier.
He said the Maratha community would not give the government any more time to act on the demand.
Speaking to reporters before starting his fast, Jarange called it his “final agitation”. He accused Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of holding a “grudge” against the Maratha community. He also alleged that Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was quietly supporting Fadnavis.
Jarange also demanded the abolition of the caste verification committee. He warned that he would march to the Chief Minister's official residence, Varsha bungalow, in Mumbai if the government failed to resolve the pending quota issues.
“Devendra Fadnavis is deliberately bearing a grudge against the Maratha community, and Eknath Shinde is giving him covert support through Social Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat,” he said. “If they do not resolve our issues, we will march to the 'Varsha' bungalow. We will speak to the government delegation if they come to negotiate, but they must arrive with concrete solutions,” he added.
Jarange has led several protests demanding that eligible Marathas be recognised as Kunbis.
Kunbis are an agrarian community covered under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category. The community is eligible for reservation in education and government jobs.
“The government should issue the caste certificates to the Maratha community based on 58 lakh Kunbi records immediately. The community will not give the government more time for this,” Jarange said. He also demanded reservation based on the Satara Gazette. Jarange called for the withdrawal of police cases filed against quota protesters across Maharashtra.
He also sought government jobs and financial compensation for families of people who died during earlier agitations. Other demands include a separate state portfolio for the Maratha and Kunbi communities. He also sought immediate staff appointments for the proposed portfolio.
Jarange demanded the release of interest on loans provided through the Annasaheb Patil Arthik Vikas Mahamandal. He also called for the release of pending SARTHI scholarships for students.
He demanded immediate appointment letters for candidates selected under the SEBC and EBC quotas. Jarange also accused the state government of creating hurdles for the Maratha community.
“This government does not want the Maratha community to grow. I have told our people that while valid historical records have been found, the authority to issue certificates remains with officials who are jealous of the community's progress,” he said. He alleged that officials were rejecting valid claims despite matching documentary evidence.
Jarange again demanded the abolition of the caste verification committee.
"The government is trying to deny us certificates by rejecting documentary evidence even when it matches. There should be no caste verification process in the state. In other states, Tehsildars and Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) hold authority, so why do we need a separate verification committee here? The law must be uniform," he said.
Jarange also appealed to members of the Maratha community to join the protest. He asked people facing delays or rejection in obtaining caste certificates or validity documents to gather at the protest site in Antarwali Sarati. (with inputs from PTI)