Jarange Firm on Mumbai Protest; Fadnavis Says Agitation Turning Political

 Mumbai: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Thursday announced that he would begin an indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan in Mumbai on Friday morning. While the police have granted permission for a one-day protest at the venue, Jarange described the decision as a ‘cruel joke.’

Mumbai Police have given permission to Jarange-Patil to hold his agitation just for a day at Azad Maidan. However, while giving its clearance, the Mumbai police have laid down a few conditions that he will have to follow. The conditions include limiting the protest to a single day, restricting entry to five vehicles, and capping the number of Maratha supporters at 5,000 in Mumbai.

However, the quota activist is adamant on his indefinite agitation from August 29 to press demand for reservation benefits for Marathas from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. He appealed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis not to halt the agitation.

“The one-day permission for the protest is a cruel joke to Marathas. Devendra Fadnavis needs to understand our pain. We hope that the CM will not stop any protestors from going to Azad Maidan in Mumbai,” said Jarange.

Meanwhile, CM Fadnavis alleged that Jarange’s agitation is being exploited for political purposes, claiming that “people can see through it.” He reiterated that the state government has already granted a separate 10 per cent quota for the Maratha community and assured that the interests of 350 communities under the OBC category would also be safeguarded.

Fadnavis’ remarks came after two MPs from Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena — Sanjay Jadhav and Nagesh Patil Ashtikar — announced their participation in the protest.

“The agitation is increasingly taking a political turn, and the people have now started to recognise it. Some political parties are trying to exploit the movement for their own benefit by using the protesters as a front. But their efforts will not succeed — in fact, it will backfire on them. Let the parties that were in power for two and a half years show even a single decision they took in the interest of the Maratha community. They won’t be able to name one,” the Maharashtra CM said.

Criticising the Fadnavis government, Jadhav said, “After the Lok Sabha elections, Jarange-Patil suspended his agitation. Why did the government not act on Maratha reservations since then? Now, suddenly, they are asking him not to protest. That will not work. Devendra Fadnavis must resolve the Maratha reservation issue, or things may spiral out of control. The BJP is practising tyranny and dictatorship in the country and the state, creating rifts between communities. I will join the protest on August 29, not as an MP, but as a member of society.”

Senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat also extended support, stating, “I pray to Lord Ganesha for the success of Jarange-Patil’s movement and for reservation to be granted to every section of the Maratha community. The Marathas have responded to his call in large numbers. The government must respect their demands.”