Day 2 of Maratha quota protest: Jarange firm on Kunbi certificate demand, warns of march to Mumbai

Day 2 of Maratha quota protest: Jarange firm on Kunbi certificate demand, warns of march to Mumbai

Jalna, Activist Manoj Jarange on Sunday stood firm on his demand for Kunbi caste certificates for all Marathas as his indefinite hunger strike entered the second day, warning that he would march to Mumbai if the Maharashtra government failed to act.

Day 2 of Maratha quota protest: Jarange firm on Kunbi certificate demand, warns of march to Mumbai

Jarange on Saturday launched his 11th indefinite fast over Maratha reservation-related demands at his native Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, where thousands of community members have gathered to support his agitation.

He has been demanding that eligible Marathas be recognised as Kunbis, an agrarian community that enjoys reservation benefits in education and government jobs under the Other Backward Class category.

"The Maharashtra government should declare all Marathas as Kunbi," the activist told reporters on the second day of his agitation.

Jarange said that if the government failed to accept the demands, he would march to Mumbai and intensify the agitation.

A meeting of the Maratha community's core committee, led by him, would be held in Antarwali Sarati on September 12 to decide on staging a hunger strike in Mumbai.

"If the government accepts our demands by September 12, there will be no need to hold the proposed fast in Mumbai," the activist said.

Jarange is demanding immediate issuance of Kunbi certificates to eligible members of the Maratha community based on 58 lakh historical records, asserting that the community will not grant any further time.

He has also demanded that caste certificate verification be suspended, arguing that there is no need for it in cases covered by the historical records.

The activist has urged the state government to issue reservation based on the Satara Gazette, withdraw all police cases registered against quota protesters across Maharashtra, and provide government jobs and financial compensation to the families of those who died during the previous agitations.

He also called for the creation of a dedicated state portfolio for the Maratha and Kunbi communities with immediate staff appointments, disbursal of interest on loans extended through the Annasaheb Patil Arthik Vikas Mahamandal, the release of pending SARTHI student scholarships, and the immediate issuance of appointment letters to candidates selected under the SEBC and EBC quotas.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.