Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday met Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil in Navi Mumbai after accepting his demands. Jarange Patil called off his protest as the Maharashtra government responded to the demands with a draft ordinance regarding reservation in education and jobs under the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) category. Shinde offered the activist juice to end his indefinite hunger strike.
Jarange Patil, who had earlier threatened to march towards Mumbai if his demands were not met by Saturday morning, halted his protest and camped in Navi Mumbai with thousands of supporters. Chief minister Shinde, after holding meetings with officials to discuss Jarange's demands, sent a delegation late Friday night with a draft ordinance addressing the concerns raised by the activist.
The delegation included social justice department secretary Sumant Bhange, Aurangabad divisional commissioner Madhukar Arangal, chief minister's personal secretary Amol Shinde and others.
Expressing his satisfaction with the government's response, Jarange Patil said, “chief minister Eknath Shinde has done a good job. Our protest is now over. Our request has been accepted. We will accept the letter from him. I will drink juice by the hands of the chief minister tomorrow (Saturday).”
Maratha quota activists celebrate
The Maratha community, seeking reservation in education and jobs under the OBC category, has been a focal point of discussions between the community leaders and the state government. Patil, who began a fresh hunger strike in Vashi, Navi Mumbai on Friday, had outlined specific demands, including Kunbi certificates for all Marathas, free education from kindergarten to postgraduate level, and reservation of seats for Marathas in government job recruitments.
{{/usCountry}}The Maratha community, seeking reservation in education and jobs under the OBC category, has been a focal point of discussions between the community leaders and the state government. Patil, who began a fresh hunger strike in Vashi, Navi Mumbai on Friday, had outlined specific demands, including Kunbi certificates for all Marathas, free education from kindergarten to postgraduate level, and reservation of seats for Marathas in government job recruitments.
{{/usCountry}}Deputy CM Ajit Pawar expressed his support for reservation for the Maratha community and stressed that CM Shinde was actively engaged in resolving the issue through dialogue.
Despite calling off the protest, Patil clarified, “We have not shunned our plans to march to Azad Maidan (in Mumbai).”
“We will go there to celebrate if the government issues all orders pertaining to our demands. If not, we will hold an indefinite hunger strike from tomorrow.”
The Maharashtra government's draft ordinance addresses several key demands of the Maratha community, signalling a potential resolution to the long-standing issue of reservation for the community in the state.
Stay updated with all the Breaking News and Latest News from Mumbai. Click here for comprehensive coverage of top Cities including Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, and more across India along with Stay informed on the latest happenings in World News.
Stay updated with all the Breaking News and Latest News from Mumbai. Click here for comprehensive coverage of top Cities including Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, and more across India along with Stay informed on the latest happenings in World News.