Maratha activist Manoj Jarange demands cancellation of Eknath Shinde's event: ‘We’ll answer back'

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil on Monday intensified his protest in Maharashtra’s Parbhani district, demanding that Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde cancel an upcoming public event or face consequences. Speaking to reporters during his second day of agitation, Jarange also criticized Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Jadhav for proceeding with a scheduled program despite requests to call it off. The escalation comes as Jarange enters the 11th day of his indefinite fast, marking another chapter in the ongoing Maratha reservation agitation in the state.

Jarange reiterated his central demand that all eligible Marathas be recognized as Kunbis, a classification that would allow them to access reservation benefits under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category. He warned that if the government does not meet this and other key demands by September 12, the Maratha community’s core committee will decide on launching a hunger strike in Mumbai. Among his other demands are the immediate scrapping of caste validity scrutiny committees, which he alleges are corrupt and demand bribes while delaying OBC certificate issuance.

The scrutiny committees, established to verify caste certificates, have long drawn criticism from OBC leaders and legal experts in Maharashtra. Jarange argued that existing authorities like tehsildars are already competent to issue such certificates, making the second layer of verification unnecessary. His stance has drawn both support from sections of the Maratha community and opposition from groups concerned about the potential dilution of OBC reservations.

On August 29, Jarange organized a strategy meeting in Jalna to plan the next phase of the agitation, attended by experts and researchers. The discussion centered on historical records like the Hyderabad Gazetteer and government resolutions related to OBC concessions. The activist has consistently linked the recognition of Marathas as Kunbis to the government’s use of the Satara Gazette, a colonial-era document, as a basis for reservation policies.

In addition to the Kunbi recognition, Jarange has demanded that the state government withdraw all police cases registered against quota protesters, provide government jobs and financial compensation to families of those who died during past agitations, and release pending scholarships under the SARTHI scheme. He also called for the creation of a dedicated state ministry for the Maratha and Kunbi communities and the immediate disbursal of interest on loans extended through the Annasaheb Patil Arthik Vikas Mahamandal.

Jarange’s protest follows a pattern of sustained agitation by the Maratha community, which has long sought reservations in education and public employment. The movement has seen periodic escalations, including mass rallies and road blockades, over the past decade. The latest phase comes amid political sensitivities in Maharashtra, with Deputy Chief Minister Shinde, a senior leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT), navigating both coalition governance and public expectations.

As the September 12 deadline approaches, the state government faces growing pressure to address the demands or risk further escalation. Political observers say the outcome could influence the balance of power between the ruling coalition and opposition parties ahead of upcoming elections.

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