Manoj Jarange-Patil, the Maratha activist who had been on hunger strike for reservation quota for the community, gave an ultimatum of 10 days to the Maharashtra government.
“We had given a month to the Chief Minister for a decision on Maratha reservation. I had added 10 more days to it. Today, one month has passed. Now, only 10 days are there for the government to act on our demands,” Jarange-Pati said as he addressed a massive rally at his village Antarvali Sarate in Jalna district on Saturday.
Next course of action to be announced on October 22
Next course of action will be announced at a press conference on October 22, he added at his village Antarvali Sarate where lakhs of Maratha activists had gathered since last night. Thousands of vehicles and continuing sloganeering of the lakhs of activists transformed the otherwise calm and quiet village.
"We make a final request to the government. Stop the work of the committee formed last month to check necessary documents. You had promised that the law would not be passed in four days, give us a month’s time and pass the law. Now the committee has got five thousand pages of evidence. Based on that, give Kunbi certificate to Maratha community in Maharashtra and include Maratha community in OBC,’’ said Jarange-Patil amid thunderous applause from the Maratha activists gathered in a scorching sun on over 100 acres of ground prepared for the rally.
Jarange-Patil, who was in an unusually aggressive mood, said, "Either there will be a ‘Vijay Yatra’ (Victory March) or my ‘Antya Yatra’ (Funeral Procession) on October 23." He also put forth Six demands before the government.
"There is no retreat now...": Jarange-Patil
“The Maratha community should get ready. There is no retreat now unless the reservation is put in the ranks of the Marathas. This movement will be peaceful but the Marathas will not back down,” Jarange-Patil added.
The Six demands he raised today are:
1) Grant Kunbi certificate to all Maratha community members and include them in the OBC category; Hang till death the perpetrator of rape at Kopardi;
2) Give compensation to families of 45 Maratha young men who died for the demand of reservation in form of cash and job;
3) Review OBC communities every 10 years and set aside the advanced communities;
4) Grant more funds to students pursuing PhD at Sarthi and resolve all their issues;
5) Creation of a separate class and granting quota within the limit of 50% to Maratha community too is acceptable to the community. But, shall accept it only if the NT and VJNT classes too are kept intact.
“I tell the center and the state, today the Marathas are peaceful, if they take up the demand aggressively then they will not withdraw till reservation is provided. This poor Maratha community provides food grains to the country by working hard in agriculture. Their children should not be deprived of reservation. It is the dream of a poor Maratha that he should also get a job. To fulfill this dream, the government should immediately announce the Maratha reservation,’’ Jarange-Patil said in his spirited speech.
Jarange-Patil warns Fadnavis
Jarange-Patil urged Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who holds the crucial home department, to direct his workers (from BJP) not to take the Marathas to task.
‘’Don’t forget that these same Marathas have elected 106 MLAs (of BJP). Marathas have a lion’s share in bringing power to the center and state. So don’t go against the Marathas,’’he warned. He also called upon the PM to admonish Fadnavis as he was fielding his workers (BJP) against us. Now I am telling the PM and also Fadnavis that if you give reservation to the Maratha community, activists will dance,’’he said. He also said that Fadnavis should control Adv Gunaratna Sadavarte who is making irrational statements that may anger the Maratha community.
Jarange-Patil lashes out at senior OBC leader
Jarange-Patil also lashed out at senior OBC leader and minister Chhagan Bhujbal. "Bhujbal had been instigating the OBC community members. He said Rs 7 crore have been spent for the rally. I would like to tell him that the land has been given by the farmers for free," Jarange-Patil said. DCM Ajit Pawar should ask his senior minister to mind his tongue. Else, if the Maratha community started targeting him he won't find a place to hide, Jarange Patil added.
Jarange Patil also urged the members of Maratha community to not lose cool at any cost. "We are not going to back off in any case now. But, don't react to people who will try to instigate you. I'm sure that the Maratha community can emerge victorious even with peaceful means. Hence no one should lose cool," he said,
The massive show of strength also caused huge traffic snarls. On Solapur-Dhulia road the traffic snarls measured upto 45 km which caused much inconvenience to the activists who attended the Rally.
