Jalna, Activist Manoj Jarange Patil on Sunday held a meeting with experts and researchers to chalk out a strategy for the Maratha reservation agitation planned on August 29 in Maharashtra’s Jalna district.
Jarange has led several agitations demanding that eligible Marathas be recognised as Kunbis, an agrarian community that enjoys reservation benefits in education and government jobs under the Other Backward Class category. During the meeting, experts discussed difficulties faced at the administrative level in verifying blood, family and lineage records, and suggested that village-level committees be given constitutional authority and their recommendations be accepted by the administration. Discussions were held about the Hyderabad Gazetteer, the GR concerning concessions to the Other Backward Classes and other issues related to the Maratha community, he said, reiterating that he was determined to continue his August 29 agitation. The activist has launched nine hunger strikes since August-September 2023 to push for Maratha reservation under the OBC category. His most recent fast was on May 30. It ended the next day after the state government offered a 12-point proposal.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the activist said that the government should acknowledge the mistakes in the existing government resolutions on the issue and make necessary amendments. Jarange said the demand to grant constitutional powers to village-level committees would be placed before the government, and asserted that the Maratha community’s demands would be pursued until they were accepted.
The meeting held at Jarange’s village, Antarwali Sarati, focused on the demands previously submitted to the government, their legal aspects and the standard operating procedure issued by the government. Earlier this month, he accused the state government of conspiring to weaken the Maratha movement by cancelling several Kunbi certificates.
