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Maratha Quota
Amid the quota tussle in Maharashtra, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should take the lead in resolving the bitterness among various communities. Speaking to reporters here, Pawar claimed an atmosphere of conflict between Marathas and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) was being deliberately created. On September 2, the state government issued a resolution (GR) on the Hyderabad Gazette, and announced the formation of a committee to facilitate the issuance of Kunbi caste certificates to the Maratha community members who are able to produce documentary evidence recognising them as Kunbis in the past. The government's decision came after Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange staged a hunger strike for five days in Mumbai. There has been growing restlessness among OBCs after the state social justice and special assistance department issued the GR. Asked about the quota issue and the growing rift between Marathas and OBCs in the state, Pawar said
The political landscape in Maharashtra is hotting up as after OBCs, SC and ST groups have also expressed concerns over a Government Resolution on Hyderabad gazette for Maratha quota, prompting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to caution against the politics of extreme. As a row over the GR, issued earlier this month, threatened to turn into a conflict between Maratha and OBC (Other Backward Class) communities, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday accused the Mahayuti government of weakening the social fabric and trying to widen the divide in society. Acknowledging a growing chasm over the sensitive issue of the Maratha reservation, Fadnavis appealed to leaders from both communities to present facts about the issue before the people. Politics of extremes is taking place on the issue and an atmosphere is being created that OBC reservation is finished. This is affecting the psyche of OBC students, he said. Weeks after the state government issued the GR to quell protests led by activi
Senior NCP (SP) leader and former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh on Tuesday claimed that the recent GR issued by the state government on reservations to the Marathas is an injustice to the Other Backward Class (OBC) community. Speaking at a press conference, Deshmukh said nobody is against giving reservations to the Marathas, but it should not affect the OBC quota. The OBC community has grown restless after the state social justice and special assistance department issued the GR on implementing the Hyderabad gazette, which will allow eligible members of the Maratha community to apply for Kunbi caste certificates. This will enable them to claim quota under the OBC category after certificates are issued. The GR was issued after the state cabinet sub-committee on Maratha reservation successfully persuaded quota activist Manoj Jarange to withdraw his hunger strike in Mumbai on September 2. "The GR on Maratha reservation is an injustice to the OBC community. Nobody is against .
Quota activist Manoj Jarange on Monday demanded that the Maharashtra government implement a GR issued last week for issuing Kunbi caste certificates to Marathas before September 17, or else he will take a "tough decision" again. Jarange ended his five-day-old fast for quota in Mumbai on September 2 when the government announced forming a committee to issue Kunbi caste certificates to Maratha community members with historical evidence of their Kunbi heritage, a social group classified as an Other Backward Class (OBC) in the state. The government made the announcement in a resolution and it followed hectic talks between state ministers and Jarange. The Kunbi is a traditional farming community in the state and they have been included in the list of OBC category in Maharashtra in order to make them eligible for government reservations in jobs and education. The government resolution (GR) issued by the social justice and special assistance department also mentioned about implementing th
A day after Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange ended his fast, doctors attend to him in a hospital here on Wednesday said he had dehydration and low blood sugar, and was being administered intravenous (IV) fluids. Jarange, who began his hunger strike in Mumbai on August 29, called off the protest on Tuesday afternoon after the Maharashtra government accepted most of his demands, including granting eligible Marathas Kunbi caste certificates, which will make them eligible for reservation benefits available to OBCs. The 43-year-old activist accepted a glass of fruit juice offered by senior BJP minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who heads the cabinet sub-committee on Maratha reservation, at south Mumbai's Azad Maidan, the site of his agitation, marking the end of his fast. Jarange, who hails from Jalna district in the Marathwada region, later left the venue in an ambulance for a medical check-up. He was then shifted to a private hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, where he receive
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has hailed activist Manoj Jarange's move to call off his 5-day fast over the Maratha quota demand, and said the government found a solution in the interest of the Maratha community. Talking to reporters here on Tuesday, Fadnavis said his government always focused on the Maratha community's welfare and expressed hope it will get a huge benefit from the state's decision on the quota issue. Jarange, who began his hunger strike at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai on August 29, called off the protest on Tuesday afternoon after the government accepted most of his demands, including granting eligible Marathas Kunbi caste certificates, which will make them eligible for reservation benefits available to the Other Backward Classes (OBCs). The 43-year-old activist accepted a glass of fruit juice offered by senior BJP minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who heads the cabinet sub-committee on Maratha reservation, and others at Azad Maidan, marking the end o
Mumbai Police on Tuesday issued a notice to activist Manoj Jarange and his team, asking them to vacate Azad Maidan at the earliest, as his hunger strike over the Maratha quota demand entered its fifth day, officials said. Though permission was granted earlier for a gathering of 5,000 protesters at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai, more than 40,000 agitators arrived from various parts of Maharashtra, the police said in the notice. The protesters blocked roads in south Mumbai over the last few days by gathering in large numbers and also parked more than 5,000 vehicles on roads connecting to the Azad Maidan and nearby areas, which led to heavy traffic congestion, they said. The protesters cooked food on roads, took bath, danced and played cricket in the public areas, violating the conditions laid down earlier for the quota agitation, the police noted. Civic personnel on Monday night washed the square outside Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), located just a few metres away from A
The Bombay High Court on Monday agreed to have a special hearing on a petition filed against the ongoing agitation led by activist Manoj Jarange demanding reservation for the Maratha community. The high court has been on holiday since August 27 for the Ganesh festival, and is to resume on Tuesday. A special bench of Justices Ravindra Ghuge and Gautam Ankhad, however, agreed to have a special hearing this afternoon on a petition filed by the Amy Foundation against the quota protest. Jarange has been on an indefinite hunger strike at the Azad Maidan in south Mumbai since August 29, seeking a 10 per cent quota for the Marathas under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category. Thousands have gathered in the city in support of the activist, crowding at major junctions in the business district. The petitioner had filed a plea in the high court last week against the protest. On August 26, the high court stated that public places cannot be occupied for an indefinite period, and protests can
Activist Manoj Jarange has vowed to stop drinking water from the fourth day of his hunger strike on Monday and brave bullets over his demand for reservation to the Maratha community under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. He has demanded the government issue a GR based on the reservation based on available records. For its part, the Maharashtra government on Sunday said it will seek a legal opinion on implementing the Hyderabad gazetteer on the Kunbi status- an OBC caste- for the Maratha community. Jarange, however, remained unimpressed and said he won't budge from the protest venue at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai till his demands are met, even if the Devendra Fadnavis government fires bullets at protesters. He has been staging an indefinite hunger strike at the Azad Maidan from Friday over his demand for a 10 per cent quota for Marathas under the OBC category. Asserting he will not leave Mumbai till his demands are met, Jarange on Sunday said, "The government has records
Traders have raised concerns over the ongoing Maratha agitation and sought intervention by the government or the High Court to restore normalcy and protect businesses in south Mumbai from long-term damage. Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association ( FRTWA) president Viren Shah said the massive gathering at Azad Maidan has thrown south Mumbai into complete chaos and affected weekend sales across shops and markets. "Mumbai feels hijacked," he said. Shah said uncontrollable traffic and swelling crowds have paralysed the city, severely affecting daily life and business. "This deadlock cannot continue. It urgently requires talks by the government or intervention by the High Court to restore normalcy. Otherwise, the long-term damage to south Mumbai's business and livelihood will be devastating," he said. Weekend sales across shops and markets have dropped to negligible levels, leaving traders and business owners helpless. Business meetings are being postponed, offices are disrupt
With the Manoj Jarange-led quota agitation escalating into its third day and an early resolution not in sight, hundreds of Maratha community members have been exploring prominent locations in Mumbai, including Marine Drive, the Gateway of India, and Girgaon sea beach. On Sunday, the turnout of protesters in south Mumbai decreased compared to the overwhelming presence on Friday, when thousands arrived from across Maharashtra, bringing traffic to a standstill and occupying platforms at the CSMT station. Jarange, who has been on a hunger strike since Friday, has vowed to stop taking water from Monday as the government has not accepted his demand for an OBC quota for Marathas. After participating in the protests at Azad Maidan, which has become the new nerve centre of the stir, hundreds of protesters visited local landmarks like Marine Drive and Gateway of India on Sunday. Several ventured near the seashore by jumping the Marine Drive promenade, only to be dispersed by police personnel
Activist Manoj Jarange on Saturday told a delegation led by retired High Court judge Sandeep Shinde that the government must declare all Marathas of Marathwada as Kunbis and be given reservation. The delegation met Jarange at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai this afternoon. He has been on an indefinite hunger strike since Friday seeking quota in government jobs and education for the Maratha community. Jarange said the committee under retired judge Shinde had studied gazettes related to the issue for the past 13 months and now it was time for the panel to submit its report to pave the way for Marathas to get Kunbi status. Jarange has been seeking a 10 per cent quota for Marathas under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category. He has demanded that Marathas be recognised as Kunbis an agrarian caste included in the OBC category which will make them eligible for reservation in government jobs and education. "Marathas in Marathwada must be declared as Kunbis and given reservation. The Hydera
Maharashtra Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil on Saturday said that a government delegation has been deputed to hold talks with Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange, who is staging an indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan. Talking to reporters after a meeting of the cabinet sub-committee, the state water resources minister said issues raised by Jarange were discussed in detail and the government is committed to resolving them positively. Jarange has been seeking a 10 per cent quota for Marathas under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category. He has demanded that Marathas be recognised as Kunbis an agrarian caste included in the OBC category which will make them eligible for reservation in government jobs and education. Vikhe Patil said that the delegation headed by Justice Sandeep Shinde (retired) will hold talks with Jarange. Justice Shinde heads the high-level committee constituted to scrutinise Kunbi records of the Maratha community. The minister further said, "We have discu
Maratha quota agitation leader Manoj Jarange continued his indefinite hunger strike at Mumbai's historic Azad Maidan on the second day, declaring he would not budge until the community's demands were fulfilled. Jarange and his supporters battled mud on the ground due to overnight rains and bemoaned the lack of basic amenities, including a paucity of water in toilets. Jarange is demanding that all Marathas be recognised as Kunbis under OBC for job and education reservations. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said that the state government is positive about resolving the issues of the Marathas, if they are social and financial in nature and not related to political reservation. Fadnavis has said the cabinet sub-committee on issues related to the Maratha community was discussing Jarange's demands and will find a solution within the constitutional framework. The 43-year-old activist has warned that he will stop taking water in the next two days, and more Marathas
Maratha quota movement leader Manoj Jarange on Friday started an indefinite hunger strike at the Azad Maidan here, vowing not to leave Mumbai till the community's demand was met, even though the police extended the permission for his protest only by a day. He also warned that he would stop taking water in the next two days, and more Marathas would pour into the city if the government delayed its decision on the demand of reservation for the community in education and jobs. Thousands of office-goers faced inconvenience as Jarange's supporters thronged the area around the Azad Maidan in south Mumbai and nearby Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), braving spells of rain. There was a heavy deployment of police personnel in the area with the Rapid Action Force too reaching the train station as the crowds swelled. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the the cabinet sub-committee on the issues related to Maratha community was discussing Jarange's demands, and will fin
Maharashtra ministers Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Friday said the state government is ready to talk with Maratha quota movement leader Manoj Jarange, stressing that his demands are being viewed sympathetically. However, BJP member of legislative council Parinay Fuke cautioned against yielding to what he called unconstitutional demands, saying it would trigger bigger protests by the Other Backward Class (OBC) groups. Jarange started his agitation at the Azad Maidan in south Mumbai on Friday morning to press for reservation in education and government jobs for Marathas. Water Resources Minister and Maratha reservation sub-committee chairperson Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said they have Jarange's memorandum of demands and it would be taken up for discussion. Jarange Patil has arrived in Mumbai, and he says he is ready for talks with the government. We too are ready. Reservation was never treated as a matter of prestige by the government. Once his memorandum i
Maratha quota movement leader Manoj Jarange began his indefinite hunger strike at the Azad Maidan in south Mumbai on Friday, vowing not to leave till the community's demands were met. The 43-year-old activist received a rousing welcome from thousands of supporters, sporting saffron caps, scarves and flags, after he reached the protest venue around 9.45 am. I will not go back until our demands are met. Even if I am shot dead, I will not retreat, said Jarange in his address to his supporters. He said the government's lack of cooperation had compelled the community to march to Mumbai. Now that the government has allowed the protest, we must cooperate with the police and ensure that we do nothing that tarnishes the community's image, he said. Jarange asked his supporters to park their vehicles at designated places. The activist urged his supporters not to block Mumbai's roads. Clear the streets in two hours and ensure Mumbaikars are not troubled. Those who want to leave the city today
Maratha quota agitation leader Manoj Jarange reached Mumbai Friday morning, hours ahead of his protest at Azad Maidan in the city. Accompanied by hundreds of vehicles, Jarange, who began his march from his village in Jalna district on Wednesday, was welcomed at Vashi by supporters as he entered Mumbai. Thousands of his supporters have already reached Mumbai. Jarange left along with his supporters from Antarwali Sarati village, located over 400 km from Mumbai, to launch a fresh hunger strike. The 43-year-old has been demanding a 10 per cent quota for Marathas under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. Jarange has said his supporters would protest peacefully and not disrupt the ongoing Ganesh festival. He has been demanding that all Marathas be recognised as Kunbis an agrarian caste included in the OBC category which will make them eligible for reservation in government jobs and education. The Jalna police allowed Jarange and his supporters to proceed with their march ...