Activists from Samta Parishad, OBC Jan Jagran Sangharsh Samiti, Savata Parishad, and other OBC organisations staged demonstrations at the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district collectorate on Wednesday evening, demanding the preservation of reservations for OBCs, nomadic tribes, and special backward classes. They also initiated the 'Jode Maro' agitation by kicking and burning posters of MLA Sanjay Gaikwad for his objectionable statements about OBC leaders, resonating with slogans across the area.
The protestors expressed concern over the state government's resolution changing the concept of 'sage soyare' to grant reservations of Kunbi category to Marathas, potentially affecting OBC reservations unjustly. They deemed the distribution of Maratha-Kunbi and Kunbi-Maratha certificates, based on the recommendations of the Justice Shinde Committee, as illegal. They demanded an immediate halt to this and the preservation of original reservations for poor OBCs, nomadic tribes, and special backward classes.
Posters of MLA Sanjay Gaikwad were burnt for his objectionable statements about Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal. District President of Akhil Bhartiya Mahatma Phule Samta Parishad, Manoj Ghodke, emphasised that Gaikwad should "know his limits" while making statements, warning of stronger action if such incidents persist.
The agitators submitted a memorandum of demands to the acting district collector Dr Arvind Lokhande. Among the protestors were Suresh Bansod, Nishant Pawar, Vijay Mahajan, Mahadev Andhale, G H Rathod, Rambhau Perkar, Vishnu Wakhre, Suresh Aglave, L M Pawar, Vilas Dhangare, and others.
