Maratha Reservation Protest: Jarange Continues Fast Even As Govt Works On Solution Behind Closed Doors

The stalemate over Maratha Reservation continued on Wednesday even as Manoj Jarange-Patil continued his fast and said that he has enough evidences that would enable the government to come out with an ordinance in just one day. The government, on the other hand, remained tight lipped on the issue throughout the day, though efforts to come up with an amicable solution continued behind closed doors.

“If the government is willing they can bring out an ordinance in one day. I have enough evidences for them to be able to do that. They won’t have to wander here and there searching for the evidences,” Jarange-Patil said at a press conference held at his Antarwali Sarate village in Ambad Taluka of Jalna district.

Jarange-Patil made the appeal to the government at 6 pm. Before that, since around 2 pm when the cabinet meeting ended, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde along with Deputy Chief Minsters Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar and the members of cabinet sub committee on Maratha Reservation huddled at the cabinet hall. No officers were present at the meeting. It is believed that the committee tried to work an amicable solution. Speculation are that the government might come up with an ordinance by tonight. Sources within the government also said that yet another single member committee too might be constituted in order to resolve the issue.

“I have all the evidences right from the days of Hyderabad princely state. I had though that I would hand them over to the committee set up by the government. But, the committee didn’t work and I didn’t get a chance to present the evidences before them. No, if the government is prepared to come out with an ordinance on Maratha Reservation, I can save their time,” Jarange-Patil added.

“The evidences include papers that show Marathas have been registered as Kunbi in the past. The papers are from the records of Hyderabad princely state. On the basis of the document the ordinance can be brought in within a day and the Marathas can be granted reservation,” the activist who has been on fast since past 9 days to push for the demand of reservation for the community said.

“Does the government need a truckload of evidences?” he asked in a raised voice when asked about the quantity of evidences. “The papers we have are enough for the government to be able to come out with ordinance. We are not keeping them on the gunpoint. But, the government should not unnecessarily waste time. We are ready to provide a team of legal experts along with the papers,” Jarange-Patil said while pressing his point.

When asked about the charges that politics is being played and that he has been working on the directives of a particular party, a visibly angry Jarange-Patil said that he doesn’t care for that. “This is not an agitation run by politicians. We are poor people. We eat chatni-Bhakri and sleep under the sky. The agitation is being built by well meaning youngsters from the community. I shall teach a lesson to anyone who calls it politically motivated,” he added.

He also said that the government doens’t need to ask for more time. We shall mend ways with our OBC brothers. If the government is serious they can ask the governor and come out with an ordinance.

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