Mumbai: Maratha quota activists held Rast Rako (road blockade) agitation in various parts of Maharashtra. A core team of Manoj Jarage-Patil will meet on Sunday to decide their future course of action. He alleged that the government was using “tricks and conspiracies” to scuttle their efforts and agitation. Although the Maharashtra government has enacted a law to provide 10 per cent separate reservation to the Maratha community, Jaragne Patil has rejected it and demanded Maratha quota under the OBC category.
Mr. Jarange-Patil has been on an indefinite hunger strike at Antarwali-Saraati village in Jalna district of Maharashtra from February 10 with a demand to enact a law on the lines of the draft notification issued by the state government on January 27 to provide Kunbi certificates to eligible Marathas and their “sage soyre (blood relatives)”. He had given an ultimatum of two days to the state government to ratify the notification by February 23. However, the government did not pay heed to his demands after giving 10 per cent separate reservation to the members of Maratha Community in government jobs and education.
Responding to a call given by the activist, his supporters held a rasta roko at several places across the state. The rasta roko coincides with board exams of the students in the state. The protesters have now planned to do rasta roko every day in such a way that it should not inconvenience students, who are going to appear for the board exams.
Speaking with the reporters at his Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, the Maratha quota activist said he would disclose his next course of action on Sunday and asked people from the community to remain united there. He also raised a question over the delay in ratification of the notification on “sage soyre (blood relatives)” of Kunbi Marathas into a law.
Mr. Jarange-Patil accused deputy chief minister and home minister Devendra Fadnavis of instructing the police to register false cases against the Maratha protesters.
