Manoj Jarange-Patil warns of hunger strike if quota demand not met before June 5

The activist took a dig at deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and said that the political parties have cheated Marathas for the last 40 years

Mumbai: Maratha activist Manoj Jarange-Patil on Sunday said he would undertake a fast from June 5, a day after Lok Sabha results are announced if the Maharashtra government fails to give the community reservation benefits.

Maratha activist Manoj Jarange-Patil (HT Archives)

He was speaking to reporters after paying tribute to Babasaheb Ambedkar on the latter’s 133rd birth anniversary. He said though the community has neither fielded any candidate in the Lok Sabha polls nor has extended support to any political party or alliance they may think of fielding candidates in the forthcoming assembly polls if their demand of quota was not met.

On June 6, the Maratha community announced a huge rally on 900 acres at Bhagwan Gad in Beed district and expected members from 17 states to attend it. “If we do not get the reservation by June 6, we will prepare to field the candidates in assembly polls slated to take place later this year. Before it I am starting my indefinite strike from June 5. We are all set to contest the assembly polls,” he said.

The activist took a dig at deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and said that the political parties have cheated Marathas for the last 40 years. He said that the police have been continuously registering cases against Maratha quota agitators in the state for the protest that took place four months ago.

Jarange reiterated that the community has not fielded any candidate in Lok Sabha elections, but the community knows who will win and who will lose. He also appealed to the community to unite and vote with conviction with a voting percentage of 100 in LS polls to ‘defeat those who are against the reservation’.

Jarange-Patil shot to fame after the police lathicharge on Maratha protesters on September 1 last year at Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district during his indefinite hunger strike for the Maratha reservation. He held three rounds of indefinite strikes after that and compelled the state government to take various steps for the Maratha reservation. His fresh round was announced by him for the reservation to the Marathas from the OBC category by issuing the Kunbi certificates to the community members and their relatives.

Jarange-Patil held a meeting with the community leaders in Mumbai to take stock for the preparation of a huge rally on June 6. “The rally would be to push our demand for reservation by issuing Kunbi certificates. Despite the draft notification issued in January, the government has not issued the final notification for it as yet. Jarange-Patil discussed the preparations with us and expected huge support from Mumbai,” said Virendra Pawar, coordinator of Sakal Maratha Samaj.