Maratha quota stir: Jarange Patil issues ultimatum to Maharashtra government
Activist Manoj Jarange Patil will not enter Mumbai as planned and will stay in Navi Mumbai if the state government issues a GR (government resolution) regarding the Maratha reservation by Friday night. "If the resolution is not issued by the Maharashtra government tonight, Marathas will march toward Mumbai tomorrow morning," Patil warned. Patil and his supporters are demanding Kunbi (Other Backward Class) status for the Maratha community.
Police deny permission for hunger strike
Patil has also threatened to go on a hunger strike if their demand for reservations isn't met. Jarange arrived in Navi Mumbai earlier in the day, accompanied by thousands of followers on bikes, vehicles, jeeps, tempos, and trucks, to intensify their reservation demand. Jarange further stated that he would visit Azad Maidan in south Mumbai on Friday. This came despite the Mumbai Police denying Jarange permission to hold the hunger strike.
Background of Maratha reservation demand and legal battles
The Maratha community, which makes up 33% of Maharashtra's population, has been demanding reservations since 1982. In 2018, the MG Gaikwad Commission recommended including Marathas in the Socially and Economically Backward Classes category. The same year, the Maharashtra government granted 16% reservation for Marathas in jobs and education. However, when the case reached the Bombay High Court, the court amended the quota to 13% for jobs and 12% for education. In 2021, the Supreme Court struck down the reservation.
State government's attempts to address demands and ongoing march
The apex court said that by implementing this reservation, the Maharashtra government exceeded the 50% reservation limit, raising the state's quota to 65%. The reservation agitation resurfaced in September 2023, with Patil gaining prominence after the Maharashtra police lathi-charged a Maratha rally in Jalna. In an attempt to quell the unrest, the Maharashtra government began awarding Kunbi certificates to Marathas in October 2023. Jarange alleges that the government has identified 54 lakh Marathas with documentation proving their Kunbi community affiliation.
State government examining records of 2.5 crore Maratha families
Despite appeals from Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and other ministers, Jarange remains steadfast in his decision to continue the march. As he threatens to move toward Mumbai, the state government is also examining the records of 2.5 crore Maratha families to determine their backward status. "I'll take my decision tomorrow at 12 pm, but if I leave for Azad Maidan, I will not take it back," he said.
