Amid Maratha Reservation Row Violence, Here's What Maratha Quota Activist Manoj Jarange Has Said

Manoj Jarange, an activist leading an indefinite hunger strike for Maratha community reservation rights, declared that the Maratha community would not accept an "incomplete reservation."

Jarange's statement came following a conversation with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, during which the Chief Minister assured a decision on providing Kunbi caste certificates to the Marathas would be made at a state cabinet meeting as reported by The Times Of India.

Jarange emphasised that reservation for only specific sections of the Maratha community would not be acceptable, and called for reservation to be extended to all Marathas in the state.

He suggested the government should convene a special session and pass a resolution, acknowledging the committee's first report appointed for this purpose, and provide Kunbi certificates to those who desire them.

In response to incidents of violence related to the quota demand in some parts of the state, Jarange stated that Maratha activists were demonstrating peacefully.

Manoj Jarange also expressed the desire to continue the hunger strike and the ban on political leaders from entering villages as part of their peaceful agitation.

Instead, he suggested that public representatives like MLAs, MPs, former MLAs, and MPs should work together to secure reservations for the Maratha community.

Jarange advised against calling a bandh at the moment and urged the government to maintain public transport services.

As per the Chief Minister's Office statement, Jarange began drinking water after a "satisfactory" discussion with Chief Minister Shinde.

His hunger strike began on 25 October, following a previous hunger strike that ended after the government's commitment to provide Kunbi caste certificates for Marathas in the Marathwada region.

In May 2021, the Supreme Court invalidated Maharashtra's Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act, 2018, which granted reservation to the Maratha community, as it exceeded the 50 percent reservation cap.