Jarange stressed that the hunger strike would be a voluntary affair and any member of the Maratha community could participate. In the last one year, he has launched six hunger strikes
Maratha activist Manoj Jarange Patil. File Pic
Activist Manoj Jarange said that he would launch an indefinite fast on January 25, 2025, to call for the Maratha community's demands, including reservation in jobs and education under the OBC category, reported news agency PTI.
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Jarange urged members of the Maratha community to gather in large numbers at the protest site. Jarange was addressing the media at Antarwali Sarthi village in Jalna.
"No one should stay at home. Come to Antarwali Sarthi, and let us show our collective strength," he said.
The 42-year-old activist has been demanding the implementation of a draft notification that recognises Kunbis as 'sage soyare' (those related by birth or marriage) of Marathas and granting reservation in jobs and education to the latter under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, stated PTI.
Kunbi, which is an agrarian community already gets quota benefits under the OBC category.
Jarange accused the government of failing to fulfil its promises, he said, "The government has cheated us. We will not spare them if they don't meet our demands during the ongoing winter session."
Jarange stressed that the hunger strike would be a voluntary affair and any member of the Maratha community could participate. In the last one year, he has launched six hunger strikes.
"Anyone willing to join is welcome. There will be no compulsion or pressure on anyone," he clarified.
Apart from the 'sage soyare' notification, Jarange has also demanded speeding up the work of the Justice (retd) Sandeep Shinde Committee set up by the Maharashtra government to expedite the process of granting Kunbi certificates to members of the Maratha community, making them eligible for quota, stated PTI.
The state legislature unanimously passed a bill providing 10 per cent reservation for the Marathas in education and government jobs under a separate category, in February this year, stated PTI. Jarange, however, has been insisting on a quota to be under the OBC head for the agrarian community.
Maharashtra: Sarpanch killed, Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange join protest in Beed
Recently, a village head (Sarpanch) was allegedly abducted and murdered by some persons, after which angry villagers blocked roads in Beed district of Maharashtra, police said, reported the PTI.
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange too joined the protesters at Massajog village in Beed. He demanded stringent action against the culprits.
According to the PTI, Manoj Jarange warned that Maratha community members - the slain sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh was a Maratha and 'will take law into their hands if the killers were let off'.
Two persons have been arrested for allegedly killing Deshmukh, who was in his mid-30s, police said.
Protesters in Kej torched a state transport bus while staging a rasta rook and clashed with police, an official said, as per the PTI.
(With inputs from PTI)
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