Activist Manoj Jarange, who has brought the Maratha quota issue to the forefront in Maharashtra, is scheduled to hold a rally in Pune's Khed on October 20. This follows Jarange Patil's massive rally in Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district on October 14.
Previously, Jarange was on a hunger strike in the village, demanding reservation for the Maratha community under the OBC category. He ended his fast on September 14, after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde assured him that his demand would be fulfilled.
The 40-year-old activist had given the Shinde government a 40-day deadline to take steps toward implementing Maratha community reservation.
Jarange's 14-day tour
On September 30, Jarange Patil embarked on a 14-day tour from Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna, where he had previously gone on an indefinite hunger strike a month ago to press his demand for Maratha community reservation. He withdrew his fast only after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited the village and assured him that the government was working on a solution to provide reservations for the community.
Following Jarange Patil's hunger strike to press for the reservation demands, the state government had issued a Government Resolution on the Maratha reservation. This resolution stated that the government would provide Kunbi caste certificates to all Marathas from Marathwada who possess Nizam-era revenue records, educational records, and other supporting documents, and if 'Kunbi' is mentioned in their genealogy. The state's Kunbi community is associated with agriculture-related occupations and is grouped under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.
Jarange-Patil had objected to the resolution, as it would mean that Marathas would be counted as OBCs and receive reservation benefits only in Marathwada. He sought a correction in the resolution, requesting that members of the Maratha community across the state be granted reservation.
