Maratha quota: Mahayuti, MVA not serious about community's demands, says Manoj Jarange

Manoj Jarange. File Pic

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Wednesday slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led Mahayuti and opposition bloc Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alleging that they were not serious about addressing the Maratha community's demands over reservation, reported the PTI.

The BJP leaders are 'cunning', while MVA leaders are not being assertive enough in their support, Jarange said.

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"Both are not serious about providing reservation to the Maratha community. Marathas have been voting for them. Now, we will see them (in polls)," said Manoj Jarange, according to the PTI.

The activist has been demanding the implementation of the draft notification that recognises Kunbis as 'sage soyare' (blood relatives) of Maratha community members and granting reservation to the latter under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.

Kunbis, an agrarian community, get quota benefits under the OBC category. However, OBC members have stressed that their quota should not be diluted.

Responding to NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar's apprehensions over the potential for Manipur-like disturbances in Maharashtra, Manoj Jarange said Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) minister Chhagan Bhujbal's 'actions could lead to unrest' in the state.

He asked why Sharad Pawar doesn't speak favouring reservation for Marathas in education and government jobs from the OBC quota. Manoj Jarange said that Sharad Pawar should make such a demand before the government.

The activist also accused Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Member of Legislative Council Pravin Darekar of attempting to create divisions within the Maratha community. He said he would expose the "conspiracy" in the coming days.

"The Maratha community should not fall prey to their trap. We must focus on fulfilling our community's dreams, not those of Devendra Fadnavis and Darekar," Manoj Jarange said, calling for solidarity and caution among fellow Marathas.

Darekar had recently said Jarange's quota stir was political and was driven by personal ambition rather than community welfare.

Asked about Prakash Ambedkar, who heads the Bahujan Vanchit Aghadi (VBA), and Raju Shetti of Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatna, Jarange said there is no official alliance with them. Recently, Shetti met Jarange at Antarwali Sarati village, the epicentre of the Maratha protest in the state, in Jalna district in Maharashtra.

(with PTI inputs)