Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange begins indefinite hunger strike, accuses Fadnavis

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange began an indefinite hunger strike on Saturday accusing Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of holding a grudge against the Maratha community and alleging that Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was quietly supporting himJarange started his latest protest at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district reiterating his demand for changes to the process through which caste certificates are verified and issuedSpeaking to reporters before beginning the fast he demanded the abolition of the caste verification committee and warned that protesters could march to the Chief Ministers official residence in Mumbai if the state government failed to resolve pending issues related to the Maratha quotaJarange calls hunger strike his final agitationJarange said he was willing to hold talks with a government delegation but insisted that he would not end the fast until his demands were addressedDevendra Fadnavis holds a grudge against the Maratha community and Eknath Shinde is providing covert support through Minister of Social Justice Sanjay Shirsat If they dont resolve our issues we will go to Varsha Bungalow If the government team comes to talk we will talk to them But this is my final agitation I will not get up till all the issues are resolved he saidJarange described the indefinite fast as his final agitation and said the government should take steps to resolve the issues raised by the Maratha communityThe Maharashtra government had not immediately responded to his latest allegations or demandsActivist seeks Kunbi status for eligible MarathasJarange has led several protests demanding that eligible members of the Maratha community be recognised as Kunbis an agrarian community that is included in the Other Backward Classes OBC category and receives reservation benefits in education and government employmentThe activist has argued that historical and documentary records should be used to establish eligibility for Kunbi certificatesSince AugustSeptember 2023 Jarange has undertaken nine hunger strikes as part of his campaign for reservation benefits for eligible Marathas under the OBC categoryThe issue has remained politically sensitive in Maharashtra with questions surrounding documentation eligibility and the process for granting caste certificates continuing to be at the centre of the debateJarange alleges bias against Maratha youthThe quota activist also alleged that the state government was creating obstacles to the social and professional advancement of young people from the Maratha communityThis government does not want the Maratha community to grow I have told our people that while valid historical records have been found the authority to issue certificates remains with officials who are jealous of the communitys progress The Maratha community must ensure their children become officers so that future generations do not face such hurdles he saidJarange said the protest was aimed at securing opportunities for future generations of Maratha youthHe urged members of the community to encourage their children to pursue education and government careersDemand to abolish caste verification committeeJarange further accused authorities of rejecting claims despite what he described as valid documentary evidence and called for the abolition of the caste verification committeeThe government is trying to deny us certificates by rejecting documentary evidence even when it matches There should be no caste verification process in the state In other states Tehsildars and SubDivisional Magistrates SDMs hold authority so why do we need a separate verification committee here The law must be uniform he saidHe argued that the authority to verify and issue caste certificates should be streamlined and questioned the need for a separate verification mechanism in MaharashtraProtest focuses on unresolved quota demandsJarange said his latest hunger strike was centred on unresolved issues affecting Maratha reservation and the process through which eligible individuals can obtain Kunbi certificatesThe activist has maintained that the government must address the communitys demands through changes to the existing administrative processHis warning of a possible march to Varsha Bungalow the Chief Ministers official residence could put additional pressure on the state government if talks fail to produce a resolutionFor now Jarange has said he will continue his indefinite fast at Antarwali Sarati and will not withdraw from the protest until the issues raised by him are resolvedWith inputs from PTI