Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange has announced plans to embark on a tour of Maharashtra after the Diwali festival in order to engage with the Maratha community and raise awareness about their reservation issue.
Jarange made this announcement following a meeting with NCP MLA Rohit Pawar, who visited him at a private hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Jarange had been on an indefinite fast but ended it on November 2.
The details of the tour are still being finalized, but Jarange intends to visit various regions of Maharashtra. He mentioned that the tour might commence from the Vidarbha region.
Previously, the activist had visited parts of western Maharashtra before his hunger strike, which was part of the ongoing agitation for Maratha reservation. Jarange’s primary demand is to secure reservation for the Maratha community in government jobs and education under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.
An audio clip had circulated in which Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal was heard saying, “It’s a do or die situation for us (OBCs) and we must raise our voice.” When asked about this, Jarange refrained from commenting on Bhujbal and emphasized that their fight for Maratha reservation would continue peacefully and unabated.
Jarange also mentioned that a delegation from the state government is expected to meet with him to discuss a time-bound program for resolving the Maratha quota issue. He expressed willingness to put their conditions for resolution in writing if needed.
In a recent development, the Maharashtra cabinet decided to issue Kunbi caste certificates to eligible Marathas from the Marathwada region who possess historical documents from the Nizam era recognizing them as Kunbis. Kunbis, an agricultural community, fall under the OBC category in Maharashtra and enjoy reservation benefits in education and government employment. This move paves the way for Maratha community members to access reservation benefits under the OBC category.
