It’s a ‘now or never’ battle for reservation, says Jarange-Patil as he begins third leg of agitation

Calling it a “now or never” battle for the reservation, he said they are firm on their demand that all Marathas get quota benefits based on the documents found so far by the state-appointed committee under retired judge Sandeep Shinde

Mumbai: With more than a month left for the deadline, Maratha activist Manoj Jarange-Patil on Wednesday said the “mightier political leaders”, who they had been supporting for the last 70 years, had deprived the community of reservation in education and government jobs.

It’s a ‘now or never’ battle for reservation, says Jarange-Patil as he begins third leg of agitation

“The documents that were earlier not accessible emerged from the historical records only after we started agitating for the cause. The Marathas will intensify the protest from December 1 by holding relay hunger strike in villages. If the state government fails to announce quota by December 24, we will have to march towards Mumbai as declared earlier,” Jarange-Patil said at a rally in Osmanabad’s Vashi.

Calling it a “now or never” battle for the reservation, he said they are firm on their demand that all Marathas get quota benefits based on the documents found so far by the state-appointed committee under retired judge Sandeep Shinde.

“Those who have records will get the Kunbi certificate, and based on this those who cannot produce documents will get certificates. I have brought the government to their knees during my first two indefinite hunger strikes and now the third phase of the agitation has begun,” he said, adding “It is time for us to stand united and show them the power of the community.”

In the third leg of his agitation, Jarange-Patil will travel to nine districts and address 24 rallies and corner meetings in Central and Western Maharashtra and Konkan in nine days. He has given the government two months to ensure the committee submits its report and Kunbi certificates are distributed to all Marathas.

Earlier in the day, he said, “We are determined to get the reservation from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) at any cost. Every Maratha will get the reservation and it is my promise. I do not have to say anything against the leaders who are opposing our agitation.”

The activist said after widening the scope of the Shinde committee - from central Maharashtra to across the state - thousands of records had been found and it had aroused enthusiasm among the community members. “They have been keeping everything aside and are joining the rallies as they are optimistic about the reservation they were waiting for decades.”

On Tuesday, a few Maratha outfits held a conference in Mumbai and announced Jarange-Patil as the leader of the movement.

At the conference organised by Rashtriya Chhava Sanghatana, they also passed a resolution to boycott advocate Gunratna Sadavarte who had been opposing reservation to Marathas and to defeat minister Chhagan Bhujbal who opposed the inclusion of Marathas in OBC.

Gangadhar Kalkute Patil, founder president of Rashtriya Chhava Sanghatana, said, “The resolution was passed unanimously in person and online. Though Jarange-Patil does not assume himself the leader of the movement, people want him to lead.”

Other Maratha organisations, however, are not on the same page. “Neither is there a consensus on the leadership, nor is it on the agenda of the Maratha outfits. We do not think there is any need to boycott any political leader or vow to defeat anybody when there are no elections in sight right now,” a key coordinator of Sakal Maratha Samaj said.