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I will stop drinking water if demands are not met, says Jarange-Patil
Around 25,000 supporters accompanying the activist arrived in the city. Filling Azad Maidan to the brim, protestors spilled over nearby areas including the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSTM) and Churchgate railway stations
MUMBAI: Maratha activist Manoj Jarange-Patil began his first indefinite hunger strike at Azad Madan, in close proximity to Mantralaya, Maharashtra government’s administrative headquarters in Mumbai, on Friday morning, vowing not to leave the spot till his demand of blanket reservation for Marathas in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category was met. The activist’s stance was in defiance of Mumbai police’s permission allowing him to hold the protest at a designated spot in the maidan, with no more than 5000 supporters between 9 am and 6 pm.
As the day went by and Jarange-Patil remained resolute in his demand, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis told media persons outside Sahyadri guesthouse that the “government will find a solution that is constitutionally valid”. At around 7pm, the activist said that police had given him the permission to continue the protest for another day, although when HT spoke to joint commissioner of police (law and order) Satyanarayan, a few hours after that, he said, he was in a meeting with his colleagues and that they “were considering Jarange-Patil’s request, as per the Bombay High Court’s directives.”
Around 25,000 supporters accompanying the activist arrived in the city. Filling Azad Maidan to the brim, protestors spilled over nearby areas including the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSTM) and Churchgate railway stations. Arterial roads in Fort and adjoining areas were also packed with vehicles brought by the protestors. Before the activist’s arrival, his supporters from Mumbai and surrounding districts erected a stage on which he sat on strike.
“So far the government has not begun talks with us. If they continue to delay, more Marathas will come to Mumbai over the next couple of days,” Jarange-Patil threatened. “I will not step back now. I am ready to take bullets for Maratha reservation. I will continue my hunger strike in jail, should they put me behind bars.”
The activist threatened to stop drinking water in the next two days if his demands are not met, even as the government was yet to begin talks.
Vikhe-Patil to hold talks
People in the know shared that the chief minister has asked water resources minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and a Maratha, to hold talks with Jarange-Patil. Vikhe-Patil reached the city late on Friday from Shirdi. Officials said that they have collated information on various decisions taken by the government on the activist’s demand over the last two years, ahead of a dialogue with him.
Speaking to reporters at Shirdi airport before leaving for Mumbai, Vikhe-Patil said, “We will consider Jarange-Patil’s proposal, although the meeting of the cabinet sub-committee (that is looking at the fine print of the reservation) has not been scheduled yet. Everything will be decided once I reach the financial capital.”
Mahayuti Vs activist
Earlier in the day, Fadnavis had said, “We have formed an empowered committee, (which is a cabinet sub-committee) which is considering the demands raised by them.” Pointing out that in its previous term, the Mahayuti government had already given 10 percent reservation to Marathas, he said, “We will have to find a legal solution as mere promises won’t do. We have directed the cabinet sub-committee to hold discussions with them (protestors) and then speak to us to resolve this as the two communities -- Marathas and OBCs -- should not come against each other. Some people are trying to escalate the situation and create animosity between the two communities.”
Speaking to the media in Thane, deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde said, “We have done the best we could for the Maratha community. When I was the CM, we gave 10 per cent reservation to the Maratha community. We had appointed the Justice Shinde Committee to find the Kunbi records of Marathas to facilitate their reservation in the OBC category. The government will abide by law.”
After remarking on the “way matters were being stretched” by the government, Jarange-Patil shifted focus to how the city was ill-prepared for the protestors, alleging “tea shops, restaurants and toilets were kept closed”. “Even drinking water was not available. Is it being done deliberately? You are worse than the British,” he alleged, charging at the Mahayuti government. “You did this to Marathas when they came to Mumbai. They will remember this when you come to our areas for programmes,” he remarked.
This is the activist’s ninth protest over nearly two years since he has been pushing for the reservation. He drew attention to himself when he sat on a hunger strike in September 2023 at Antarwali Sarathi village, Jalna, demanding blanket reservation for Marathas bearing Kunbi certificates in the OBC category.
In January last year, his first morcha to Mumbai was aborted in Vashi, following a request from the state government. He held a hunger strike at Shivaji Chowk, Vashi, which was called off after then chief minister Eknath Shinde assured him that Kunbi certificates will be issued to all 57 lakh Marathas with Kunbi antecedents and blood relatives and relatives formed out of marriages in the same caste so that they can get benefits of OBC reservation. A draft notification to this effect was also issued by the state social justice department which is yet to be implemented. The implementation of the draft notification is one of the demands of Jarange-Patil.
(With input from Yogesh Naik)
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