Pune, Aug 28 Pro-Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange-Patil, who has reached the Shivneri fort in Pune district with a large number of supporters during his march to Mumbai, on Thursday attacked the Mahayuti government, saying that the permission granted by the Mumbai Police to hold an agitation at Azad Maiden for a day was a joke.
He clarified that the permission for just a one-day protest is not acceptable, reiterating his decision to undertake an indefinite fast in support of his demand for the Martha reservation from the OBC quota, which would be sustained within the legal framework.
He has already declared that he will start his indefinite strike from August 29 in Mumbai.
“Justice should be done to the children of the Maratha community, and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should support this. We will go to Mumbai. CM Fadnavis should accept our demands and implement them, and stop being stubborn,” said Jarange-Patil.
He further stated, “CM Fadnavis still has a chance; he should seize this opportunity. You (the government) are not our enemies. Just give up your anti-Maratha stance. I am telling you from the foothills of Shivneri Fort. CM should implement our demands. This is my word that the Marathas will not forget your kindness until we die.”
He said, “CM Fadnavis should understand that there is a lot of pain in the Maratha community children, and they should get justice. The permission has been given to hold an agitation just for a day, and it was given deliberately. You (CM) can give permission until the demands are implemented.”
Patil claimed that he would not back down; instead, he was firm on the indefinite fast at Azad Maidan. “The protest will be peaceful. I have appealed to the Maratha brothers to be patient. Do not break any law. Do not act in a way that will cause trouble to anyone. Do not create chaos. Not to act in a way that will bring down the name of the caste and community,” he said.
In an appeal to the chief minister, Jarange-Patil said, “I respectfully urge you not to impose any conditions on us. Crores of Marathas are coming to the gates of Mumbai to protest. Many will join the agitation. Some Marathas will go back to their villages. They want to protest in their villages, talukas and districts. They want to prepare there. Therefore, the government should withdraw the conditions and terms.”
Jarange-Patil said even though the police have granted permission for a day, the Maratha community protesters will stay at other grounds. “The 5,000 Maratha community protesters will go back, and another 5,000 protesters will come in their place. Therefore, the terms and conditions of the government will be followed. There will be Marathas at the gates of Mumbai. And after one group leaves, another group will reach Azad Maidan,” he added.
Jarange-Patil has demanded that the Maratha Kunbi be one and should be implemented in education and recruitment. The government should implement the Hyderabad Gazetteer, the Satara and Bombay Gazetteers to do justice to the Maratha community.
“Even though it has been a year and a half since the ordinance of ‘sage-soyare’ was passed, the Marathas are still starved of necessary benefits. Take the sage-soyare of the person whose Kunbi record has been found. Take the sage-soyare as per the caste,” demanded Jarange-Patil. Sage-soyare is the Marathi term for ‘relatives from the family tree’.
He claimed the government has not withdrawn cases against the Maratha quota activists and that those cases be withdrawn immediately. “Give us a reservation that will pass the test of the law,” he added.
(Auto generated news from IANS Feed. This has not been edited by enewstime desk)
