OBCs seek permission for Azad Maidan protest on Jan 20

Leaders from Other Backward Classes (OBC) in Mumbai plan to protest at Azad Maidan on January 20, deepening the friction between OBC and Marathas communities. OBCs are upset with Manoj Jarange-Patil for demanding reservation for Marathas within the existing OBC quota.

Mumbai: Close on the heels of Manoj Jarange-Patil declaring that he’d commence a foot march from Jalna on January 20 and begin an indefinite hunger strike upon reaching Azad Maidan, leaders from Other Backward Classes (OBC) too declared their intent to stage a protest at the same venue. While they have applied for permission from police, the move is likely to deepen friction between the two communities.

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“We want to begin a protest from January 20 and have chosen the Azad Maidan as the site. We have also sought permission from the Azad Maidan police,” said Prakash Shendge, president of the OBC Janmorcha.

OBCs are upset with Jarange-Patil for demanding reservation for Marathas within the existing OBC quota and have raised their concern on several occasions. Leaders from the community have already staged four rallies and an indefinite hunger strike protesting against any such move, while three more rallies are planned before the protest in Mumbai on January 20. Rallies are planned at Nanded (Marathwada) on January 7, Beed (Marathwada) on January 13 and Dharashiv (formerly Osmanabad) on January 17.

OBC leaders have objected to the government’s efforts towards issuing Kunbi certificates to Marathas, using which they could avail the OBC quota. They allege that the government is giving “back door” entry to Marathas and have demanded that the committee appointed to facilitate Kunbi certificates be scrapped.