Page 3 - Maratha Quota

Maha backward class panel's survey to end just before midnight on Friday

The survey being carried out by the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission in connection with the Maratha quota will end just before midnight on Friday and it will not be extended, MSBCC has said. In a letter to all district collectors and municipal commissioners on Thursday, the MSBCC said, The software (APK) used for this survey will be shut at 2359 hours (11:59 pm) on Friday. There will not be any extension given to the survey. Thus, no such demand should be made. The officials concerned should inform all the enumerators to complete their survey tomorrow within the stipulated time. The commission should be informed about the completion of the report by 10 am on February 3 by submitting a certificate, the MSBCC added in the letter. The survey is being carried out to support the state government's curative petition filed in the Supreme Court in connection with the Maratha quota, which has been revived by activist Manoj Jarange. The SC had on May 5, 2021, struck down reservati

Not satisfied with CM Shinde's decision on Maratha quota demand: Bhujbal

Maharashtra cabinet minister Chhagan Bhujbal, who has questioned the "backdoor entry" of Marathas into the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, on Sunday said he was not satisfied with the state government's decision on the reservation issue. Bhujbal also claimed that Justice (retd) Sandeep Shinde, who heads a committee set up to find Kunbi records of Marathas, was getting almost double the salary drawn by the Chief Justice of India and called it an unnecessary expenditure. Activist Manoj Jarange on Saturday called off his indefinite fast for Maratha quota after the Maharashtra government accepted his demands, with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announcing that till Marathas get reservation, they will be given all the benefits enjoyed by the OBCs. A draft notification was issued by the government following negotiations with Jarange, stating that blood relatives of a Maratha person, who has records to show that he belongs to the agrarian Kunbi community, would also be recognised as .

It's backdoor entry of Marathas into OBC category: Bhujbal targets own govt

Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Saturday appeared to target his own government led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as he questioned the "backdoor entry" of Marathas into the Other Backward Classes (OBC) community. He also termed the draft notification issued by the state government providing Kunbi certificates to all Marathas as a mere "eyewash", and said caste is determined by birth and not affidavits. The veteran OBC leader was talking to reporters here after Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange called off his indefinite fast in neighbouring Navi Mumbai this morning after the state government accepted his demands over reservation to his community. The state government issued a draft notification this morning to recognise as Kunbis all blood relatives of the Maratha community members whose Kunbi caste records have been found. Kunbi, an agrarian community, falls in the OBC category. Jarange had been demanding Kunbi certificates for all Marathas. Bhujbal, the food and civil

Maratha quota activist Jarange calls off his protest over reservation issue

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Saturday said he has called off his protest over the reservation issue, saying the Maharashtra government has accepted all the demands. He expressed satisfaction that the government has issued a notification to issue Kunbi caste certificates to all relatives of the Marathas whose records (linked to Kunbi caste) have been found. He made the announcement at Vashi in neighbouring Navi Mumbai, where he camped overnight with thousands of supporters after reaching the place on Friday morning. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is set to meet Jarange. Both of them are likely to address the people present there. Jarange on Friday made a fresh demand that the government amend its free education policy to include all Marathas until the benefit of reservation becomes available for the entire community. He has sought data of the 37 lakh Kunbi certificates issued by the state government. Kunbi, an agrarian community, falls in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) .

Maharashtra CM Shinde to meet Maratha quota activist Jarange today

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will meet Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Saturday at Vashi in neighbouring Navi Mumbai, where the latter has been camping with thousands of protesters over the demand for reservation to his community, officials said. CM Shinde's meeting with Jarange assumes significance after the state government on Friday night came out with a draft ordinance regarding the reservation demands of Marathas. The government came out with the ordinance as per Jarange's demand, and a team of government officials visited him last night at the camp site. During his speech on Friday, Jarange had warned that he and his supporters would enter Mumbai on Saturday for their planned protest at Azad Maidan ground if their demands were not met by Friday night. He also made a fresh demand that the government amend its free education policy to include all Marathas until the benefit of reservation becomes available for the entire community. He has sought data of the

No going back on Maratha quota protest till all demands are met: Jarange

Maratha quota leader Manoj Jarange on Friday asserted that he won't abandon his agitation midway till the community is granted reservation in government jobs and education, while Maharashtra minister Deepak Kesarkar said the activist's demands have been accepted. Jarange was addressing protesters at Shivaji Chowk in the Vashi area of neighbouring Navi Mumbai after a meeting with a government delegation. The activist said the delegation has given him some documents which he will discuss with his supporters to announce their future course of action. There is no going back on the agitation till we get reservation, he asserted. The government is trying to persuade Jarange not to proceed to Mumbai. State education minister Deepak Kesarkar told reporters that Jarange's demands have been accepted and they will be fulfilled as per government procedure. So far, 37 lakh Kunbi certificates have been given and the number will go up to 50 lakh, he said. Earlier, the Maratha quota leader reac

Maratha quota stir: Jarange reaches Mumbai outskirts with supporters

Maratha quota leader Manoj Jarange Friday reached Navi Mumbai with thousands of supporters to push for reservation for the Maratha community. Jarange and other Maratha activists reached the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) on outskirts of Mumbai around 5 am by bikes, cars, jeeps, tempos and trucks. As per his plan, Jarange, along with his supporters, will begin his hunger strike at Azad Maidan on Friday. The protesters are demanding Kunbi (OBC) status to the Maratha community. Despite the Mumbai Police issuing a notice to him denying him permission to hold a hunger strike in the city, Jarange announced on Thursday that he will reach Azad Maidan in south Mumbai on January 26. In a notice issued under section 149 of the Criminal Procedure Code that enables the police to prevent cognisable offences, the police said, Mumbai is the financial capital of the country and various financial institutions, international advocacy and other financial centers are working in Mumbai. ..

Ajit Pawar should have questioned govt over Maratha quota delay: Jarange

Activist Manoj Jarange on Monday said Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar should have questioned the state government over the delay in granting quota to Marathas and claimed that Pawar was rather speaking against the reservation issue. Jarange was talking to reporters at a village in Ahmednagar district on the third day of his march to state capital Mumbai. The activist, accompanied by thousands of supporters, left his village Antarwali Sarti in Jalna district on January 20 to march to Mumbai, where he plans to sit on an indefinite fast till the state government issues an order granting reservation to the Maratha community. He has been demanding that Marathas in the state be given Kunbi certificates to enable the community to avail reservation in government jobs and education under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category. "Ajit Pawar should have cornered the state government over the Maratha reservation issue. He should have asked why there was a delay in granting the ...

Maharashtra state commission to assess backwardness of Marathas: CM Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has said the state Commission for Backward Classes will conduct a survey from January 23 to asses the social, economic and educational backwardness of the Maratha community. The Maratha community has been demanding reservation in government jobs and education under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category. The chief minister on Saturday directed the administration to carry out the survey in three different shifts on a war footing. Shinde chaired a meeting on the Maratha reservation issue at his official residence here and gave instructions to divisional commissioners, collectors, commissioners of municipal corporations and other senior officials via a video link. The survey announcement came on the day when Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange embarked on a protest march to state capital Mumbai from Jalna with thousands of supporters. Jarange has announced to launch an indefinite fast for the Maratha quota in Mumbai from January 26. He has

Resolve Maratha quota issue: Jarange urges Fadnavis a day before protest

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Friday urged Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to wholeheartedly address the issue of reservation for the community. Speaking to reporters, the activist said he would leave his native Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna at 9 am on Saturday to embark on a protest march for Mumbai to press for the demand to provide reservation to his community. "The resolution of the Maratha reservation issue rests with Fadnavis, and he should come forward and resolve the matter with his heart and mind," he said. The activist reiterated his demand that Kunbi caste certificates be issued to 54 lakh Marathas and questioned the progress made by the committee set up by the state government to address the quota issue since it started its work on December 23 last year. Jarange further accused state minister Girish Mahajan of making false promises and deceiving the Maratha community. "Where is minister Girish Mahajan who had come with seven ministers

Prepare flawless survey report on Maratha community for quota: Maha CM

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday directed the state officials to prepare a "flawless" survey report of the Maratha community in the state. Shinde issued the directives to the divisional commissioners, district collectors and municipal commissioners in the state in a video-conference meeting held during the day. Referring to the Supreme Court's decision of striking down the Maharashtra Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Act, 2018, for having breached the 50 per cent reservation cap, he said, "The apex court pointed out several errors in that Act while striking it down. We have filed a curative petition and need a flawless survey report over the Maratha community." A questionnaire has already been sent to all the district collectors, he said, adding that there was a need to increase the number of enumerators as it was a "crucial" report for the government. "The state government has made Rs 367 crore available to the State Backward Class Commission.

Maratha reservation: SC to consider Maha govt's curative petition on Jan 24

The Supreme Court will consider on January 24 a curative petition filed by the Maharashtra government against the judgement that had quashed the state law granting reservations to Marathas in education and government jobs. A curative petition is the last legal recourse in the apex court and is generally considered in-chamber unless a prima facie case is made out for reconsideration of the verdict. A five-judge constitution bench of the top court had on May 5, 2021 delivered its verdict on petitions related to the Maharashtra government's decision to grant quotas to the politically influential community. The apex court had refused to refer to a larger bench to revisit its 29-year-old Mandal verdict putting a cap on quotas at 50 per cent as it quashed a Maharashtra law granting reservations to Marathas in admissions and government jobs in the state, saying it violated the principle of right to equality. Later, on April 11 this year, the top court had dismissed a batch of petitions, .

Maratha quota row: Jarange to stage indefinite strike in Mumbai from Jan 20

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Saturday announced he will start an indefinite strike at Azad Maidan in Mumbai from January 20 to intensify his demand for reservation for the community. Addressing a massive rally in Beed district in Maharashtra's Marathwada region, Jarange claimed "crores" of people from the Maratha community will come to Mumbai on January 20. Meanwhile, in a video message, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said the Supreme Court has accepted the curative petition filed by the state government pertaining to the Maratha reservation issue and has scheduled a hearing on January 24. This, Shinde said, has opened a "window of hope' for the community. He asserted his government is committed to giving reservation to the Maratha community and urged people to observe restraint. Shinde also said quota benefits of other groups will remain untouched while giving reservation to the Marathas. Speaking at the rally in Beed, Jarange said, "I will start an indefinite hunger st

Jarange's demands growing, but Maharashtra govt is helpless, says Bhujbal

Maharashtra food and civil supplies minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Friday took a dig at Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange saying that his demands are growing but the Maharashtra government is helpless. Talking to reporters here, Bhujbal, who had earlier criticised Jarange, quipped that he was taking back all that he had said earlier. I also support all demands of Jarange. Who are OBCs...they are small, poor people. God also got scared of Jarange. What is law and order in front of Jarange? One minister must constantly be stationed next to him, said the NCP leader sarcastically. But the government is helpless, he said. The veteran OBC leader and founder of Mahatma Phule Samata Parishad has taken a contrarian stand to the Ekanth Shinde-led alliance government's decision to issue Kunbi (OBC) certificates to Marathas based on historical records to enable the beneficiaries to avail reservation in education and government jobs. His barbs came a day after three state ministers met the ...

Maratha quota row: CM Shinde to chair Cabinet Sub-Committee meeting today

The meeting of the Cabinet Sub-Committee constituted for Maratha reservation and facilities will be held this evening

Stop close people from speaking against Marathas: Jarange to Fadnavis

Quota activist Manoj Jarange has claimed there are some people close to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who speak against the Marathas and appealed to Fadnavis to restrain them from doing so. Speaking to reporters in Latur on Sunday night, Jarange also said he has faith in Chief Minister Eknath Shinde that he would give reservation to the Maratha community and reiterated his demand for the quota by December 24. The activist is currently touring parts of Maharashtra to raise awareness about his demand of reservation for the Maratha community. He was in Latur on Sunday night where he spoke to reporters. "This is my last request you can say. They (leaders in Maharashtra) should see that there should be no disgruntlement among people. There are five-seven people who speak about Maratha (community) and are close to Devendra Fadnavis," Jarange claimed without taking any name. "Fadnavis needs to understand that there should be peace in the state," he said. The Marath

Will demand to withdraw FIRs against Maratha protesters: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday told the legislative assembly that the state government was taking necessary action on the demand to withdraw cases filed against pro-Maratha reservation protesters in Jalna district. The police had used mild force against the Maratha protesters in Jalna, he said, adding that 79 police personnel and 50 persons were injured during the face-off. Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio, said this in his written reply to questions asked by more than 20 legislators on the Maratha quota issue. "The state government will review the cases filed against the protesters involved in the Maratha quota agitation and take appropriate action. The government has also sent some of the police officials on compulsory leave and later transferred them out of the district," he said. Activist Manoj Jarange had sat on an indefinite fast in the last week of August at his native Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district. However, the agitatio

Man raises slogans near Bhujbal's car to not oppose Maratha quota agitation

A Maratha outfit member on Monday sneaked into a government guest house in Pune where Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal was staying and raised slogans near the minister's car saying he should not oppose the community's agitation for reservation. The police later whisked away the man, identified as Dhananjay Jadhav, who told reporters that if Bhujbal does not stop opposing the agitation by Marathas for the quota demand, "we will make his movement difficult in the state". State cabinet minister Bhujbal has said the existing reservation for the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) should not be curtailed while giving reservation to Marathas. Bhujbal, a prominent OBC leader, has also criticised Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange over some of his recent statements. Jadhav, who is a member of the Swarajya Sanghatana, reached near Bhujbal's car parked at the Circuit House in Bund Garden area on Monday morning. He said it would not take much time to damage the car but he would not do ...

Release of water into dam stopped on pretext of Maratha quota stir: Chavan

The Maharashtra government stopped the release of water into the Jayakwadi dam on the pretext of law and order situation in the wake of the Maratha quota agitation, Congress leader and former chief minister Ashok Chavan claimed on Friday. Chavan also posted a letter, purportedly written by an executive engineer of the Marathwada Irrigation Development Corporation to the state Water Resources Department, on social media. The release of water into the dam was suspended as per the government's order in view of the law and order situation created by the Maratha quota agitation, the letter said. The agitation had turned violent earlier this month. What is the connection between the release of water into the Jayakwadi dam and the ongoing Maratha quota stir? There should not be any attempt to defame the Maratha community's agitation and delay the release of water for the Marathwada region, Chavan said on X. This is a deliberate attempt to malign the Maratha quota agitation," he ...

Govt positive towards demands for Maratha reservation: Devendra Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said the government is positive towards addressing demands raised by Marathas and efforts are underway to give reservation to the community. A delegation of the Maratha community met Fadnavis in Pandharpur town of Solapur district where the deputy CM and his wife performed puja at the temple of Lord Vitthal and Goddess Rukmini on the occasion of Kartiki Ekadashi on Thursday. The community has been demanding reservation in government jobs and education. In a post on X, Fadnavis said, I have assured the Maratha community that the state government is positive towards their demands. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has assured to give reservation to the community. We are standing behind him with full support. The issue will be solved for sure. Efforts are underway to give reservation to the Maratha community, he said. The delegation also demanded that the state government provide a piece of land for the construction of Marath