With barely 48 hours left for the expiry of the 40-day ‘deadline’ given by Maratha quota agitators to the Eknath Shinde government to grant reservation to the community, quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil on October 22 said he would begin yet another indefinite hunger strike from October 25 if the State failed to grant the quota by October 24.
In a bid to pacify the activist, CM Eknath Shinde said that giving reservation to the Marathas was his administration’s “responsibility” and that he was committed towards delivering it.
“In a positive development, the Chief Justice of India (CJI) on October 13 had admitted a curative petition on the Maratha reservation issue. He has said he would list it for consideration in due course. This is a big step. A big window has been opened for the Marathas to secure reservation. We want to ensure a permanent reservation for the Maratha community, one that will hold water,” Mr. Shinde said.
Pressure mounts
Mr. Jarange-Patil, who has emerged as the prominent face of the Maratha quota agitation, warned the government of a fast unto death from October 25, while repeating his demand that the State government treat the Marathas as members of the OBC Kunbi community and give Other Backward Classes (OBC) certificates to them, thus enabling the Maratha community to enjoy the reservation benefits granted to the OBCs.
He further warned the administration that the Maratha community would not permit any political leader to enter the village of Antarwali-Sarati in Jalna district (where he proposed to sit on his hunger strike) till all aspects pertaining to the reservation issue were satisfactorily resolved.
“No grains nor water will be taken. It will be a rigid fast unto death…Just like water is necessary for life, so is reservation for the Maratha community. You [politicians] must only enter our village when you have given us reservation,” Mr. Jarange-Patil declared.
More ominously for the Shinde government, the activist said that whole villages would sit on hunger strikes from October 28 onwards if the quota issue were not resolved.
“The community is silent today, but do not play with the emotions of the Marathas. It is the question of their livelihoods and the futures of their children. The government should not drag its foot now and ensure justice within the next two days,” he said.
He said the government should now take the report of the Justice Shinde committee (appointed by the Eknath Shinde government to study the backwardness of the Marathas).
“Now the Justice Shinde committee should not ask for more time on this matter and nor should the government grant it. Many proofs suggesting the Marathas and the OBC Kunbi communities are the same have already been submitted. Like the Kunbis, the Marathas, too, are farmers. We are blood-brothers. Hence, Marathas should be given OBC Kunbi certificates without delay,” Mr. Jarange-Patil said.
Stating that the community did not want any anodyne solutions but a permanent one on the quota issue, the activist nonetheless appealed to quota agitators to keep their protests peaceful and not resort to taking extreme steps.
CM bats for patience
Urging Maratha quota agitators to be patient, the CM said that work to show the backwardness of the community was going on a war-footing.
“The government is working as per its promise to Maratha quota agitators. I appeal [to] them not to take the extreme step. Have some patience. The responsibility to ensure reservation is ours. I, too, hail from the Maratha community and belong to a farmer’s family. I understand the feelings of the Maratha community. I have never made false promises to anyone,” said Mr. Shinde.
Mr. Jarange Patil had gone on an indefinite hunger strike since August 29 at Jalna’s Antarwali Sarati village. He later called it off after 17 days when CM Shinde personally called on him and persuaded him to withdraw the strike.
The activist had since given a 40-day deadline (which ends on October 24) to the government to fulfil all demands.
