E-Paper
Maratha quota protest: Fadnavis says 'working to resolve' issue, Jarange gets nod for Sunday strike
The Azad Maidan Police extended the permission granted for the Maratha quota agitation led by Manoj Jarange-Patil for another day.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said the government was working within the constitutional and legal framework to resolve the Maratha quota issue.
The CM's statement came even as talks between Manoj Jarange-Patil and the Maharashtra government failed to yield a solution, following which the Maratha quota activist extended his hunger strike for a third consecutive day.
Jarange-Patil had reached Mumbai on Friday morning, along with a huge convoy of vehicles carrying thousands of his supporters. The Azad Maidan Police extended the permission granted for the Maratha quota agitation for another day.
Meanwhile, thousands of Jarange's supporters gathered in south Mumbai, leading to traffic snarls in the area, particularly around the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT).
During the protests on Saturday, Jarange-Patil demanded that the Marathas in Marathwada be declared as belonging to Kunbi caste and given reservation, PTI reported.
The activist also criticised CM Fadnavis for choosing retired High Court judge Sandeep Shinde, head of the committee set up for expediting the granting of reservation to Marathas, to hold talks with him at the Azad Maidan, where the protests are being held.
Jarange-Patil said that the delegation led by Justice Shinde had studied gazettes related to the Maratha quota issue for over a year, adding that it was now time for it to submit its report.
“It is not Justice Shinde's job to issue a Government Resolution (GR) announcing grant of reservation to Marathas. It is an insult of the government, Raj Bhavan and state to send Justice Shinde here,” Jarange-Patil said.
He further said that “Marathas in Marathwada must be declared as Kunbis and given reservation. The Hyderabad and Satara gazettes must be made into law for this.”
However, Justice Shinde said that caste certificate is granted to an individual and not to an entire community, adding that he was not authorised to give such a report. The retired HC judge said that he would go back to the cabinet sub-committee with the details of his talks with Jarange-Patil.
The cabinet sub- committee, headed by senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, had deputed Justice Shinde to communicate it's decisions to Jarange-Patil.
Jarange-Patil's agitation has also led to the swelling of crowds in South Mumbai and disruptions in traffic movement, with the activist declaring that the protestors would stay until their demand for Maratha reservation is fulfilled.
