Maratha community won't accept 'incomplete reservation': Quota activist Jarange

The Maratha community will not accept an “incomplete reservation” and the Maharashtra government should call a special session of the state legislature on the issue, activist Manoj Jarange, who is observing an indefinite fast for the quota demand, said on Tuesday.

He threatened to stop drinking water from Wednesday evening if the “complete” quota was not granted to the Maratha community. He told a news conference that 60-65 per cent of Marathas are already in the ambit of reservation and the government should extend it to the remaining Marathas in the state.

Speaking to reporters at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district where he has been observing fast since October 25, Jarange expressed displeasure over the state cabinet's decision to grant Kunbi caste certificates to the Marathas in the Marathwada region. “Don't be selective in granting reservation. Give Kunbi caste certificates to all Marathas. Officials should not distribute these (Kunbi) certificates (as declared by the government). The government should accept the first report of the Justice Shinde committee and convene a special session of the legislature to decide on the Maratha quota,” he said.

Slams Fadnavis

Jarange said the government should not “trouble” Maratha youths who are protesting peacefully or else a firm response will be given. He criticised Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who has said the perpetrators of violence in Beed will face charges under IPC 307 (attempt to murder). He said the chief minister should ensure that poor Maratha youths in Beed are not harassed or “we will give a fitting reply”.

Fadnavis, who holds the Home portfolio, has told reporters that agitators who tried to burn down a house in Beed district with family members inside will face attempt to murder charges.

Jarange alleged that Fadnavis has damaged the BJP which has “become ugly”. “We don't know who is responsible for the violence in Beed. It seems the government doesn't want Maharashtra to remain peaceful. When will you grant the complete reservation? The CM and his two deputies will be responsible for the fallout. I will stop drinking water from Wednesday. One of the two deputy CMs (Fadnavis) will be more responsible,” he added.

Jarange also criticised some OBC leaders who have opposed the reservation for the Maratha community under the Other Backward Classes grouping. He said OBC members should not take to the streets. He said the Maratha quota agitation will continue peacefully and the entry of politicians will remain banned in villages.

Shinde panel report

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government has accepted the first report of a committee headed by retired high court judge Sandeep Shinde, appointed to decide the procedure for granting Kunbi caste certificates to the Marathas in the Marathwada region.

The process of issuance of Kunbi certificates has begun, an official statement said. The Kunbi community is eligible for reservation in the OBC category. The decision came amid Jarange's indefinite fast for quota for the Maratha community, and incidents of violence over the demand in some parts of the state.

The state cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, also decided that the OBC Commission will collect fresh empirical data to assess educational and social backwardness of the Maratha community.

“The first report of the Justice (retd) Sandeep Shinde committee has been submitted. The process of granting Kunbi certificates to Marathas has started,” the statement from the Chief Minister's Office said.

The cabinet also decided that a three-member panel headed by retired judge Dilip Bhosale would be formed to advise the government on the legal issues related to the Maratha quota demand, it added.

Last month, a five-member panel headed by Justice Shinde was set up to decide the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for giving Kunbi certificates to members of the Maratha community who (or whose ancestors) were referred to as Kunbis in Nizam-era documents. The Marathwada region of present-day Maharashtra was part of the Hyderabad state until 1948. The panel was given an extension till December 24 last week.

CM reaches out

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Shinde called Jarange over phone and assured a concrete decision on giving Kunbi certificates to the Maratha community during the state cabinet's meeting to be held later in the day.

Jarange has been on an indefinite hunger strike at his native Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district since October 25 to demand reservation for the Maratha community. After a “satisfactory” discussion with CM Shinde, Jarange started consuming water during his protest, a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said.

CM Shinde enquired about his health and also informed the quota activist that the state government was prepared to file a curative petition in the Supreme Court over the Maratha reservation issue.

Protests across state

The Maratha community, led by Jarange, has been demanding the issuance of Kunbi certificates to Marathas, enabling them to get inclusion in the OBC category for reservation. Kunbis (the community associated with agriculture) are grouped under the OBC category in Maharashtra.

Maratha community members have been staging protests in different parts of the state seeking reservation in government jobs and education under the OBC category. At some places, quota supporters vandalised and torched the residences of some politicians. A curfew has been imposed in Maharashtra’s Dharashiv district after incidents of violence.

(With agency inputs)