Maharashtra: Jarange launches fresh stir over Maratha quota

Maratha activist Manoj Jarange launched an indefinite fast on Saturday demanding implementation of the draft notification that recognises as Kunbis all blood relatives of Maratha community members reported news agency PTIHe also sought framing of a law to identify Kunbis as Marathas and warned of fielding candidates from all 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra in the upcoming state polls if his demands were not approved reported PTIJarange launched the fresh round of agitation at his native Antarwali Sarati village in Ambad tehsil of Maharashtras Jalna district around 1030 am even as the district administration and the police authorities have denied permission for it reported PTIHe has been demanding Other Backward Community OBC tag for the Marathas and implementation of the draft notification issued by the state government earlier this year for issuing certificates to blood relatives of eligible Kunbi MarathasKunbi an agrarian group falls under the OBC category and Jarange has been demanding that Kunbi certificates be issued to all Marathas thus making them eligible for Maratha quota benefits reported PTII will not give up until the Maratha reservation is granted Jarange the face of the quota agitation asserted reported PTIHe accused the state government of trying to stall his protest by inciting the residents of Antarwali Sarati reported PTIA section of villagers earlier submitted a memorandum to the district administration urging it to not grant permission to Jaranges protest in the village citing a potential threat to communal harmonyJarange urged Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to address the Maratha quota issueIf the demand for Maratha reservation is not fulfilled I will field candidates from various communities from all 288 assembly segments in the state in the upcoming state elections he said adding that personally he would stay away from electoral politics reported PTIJarange said the draft notification on the sage soyare blood relatives of the Kunbi Marathas be implemented and a law should be framed to identify Kunbis as Marathas reported PTIHe said the Maratha community will hold CM Shinde and deputy CM Fadnavis in high regard if the reservation demand is metBefore this Jarange had held the agitation over the quota issue between February 10 and 26On February 20 the Maharashtra legislature on Tuesday unanimously passed a bill providing 10 per cent reservation for the Marathas in education and government jobs under a separate categorySpeaking to reporters on Friday the activist claimed that 57 lakh documents which prove that Marathas and Kunbis are the same have been received reported PTIHe said that once the target of Maratha quota is achieved he would launch a fight to get quota for Dhangar and Muslim communities as wellOn whether the Maratha reservation issue impacted the candidates in the recentlyconcluded Lok Sabha polls he said his community showed its strength in these pollsHe denied the allegation that BJP leader Pankaja Munde lost the election from Beed because of his appeal to the community membersHe said that he neither supported nor opposed any partyI did not favour any candidate nor was against anyone in the Lok Sabha election he said reported PTIAccusing CM Shinde and deputy CM Fadnavis of obstructing the Maratha reservation process Jarange alleged that Fadnavis conspired against the Maratha communityWith inputs from PTI