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Manoj Jarange-Patil, the activist leading the Maratha quota agitation, vowed on Tuesday to continue his indefinite hunger strike even if he is jailed and accused chief minister Devendra Fadnavis of conspiring against Marathas.
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He reiterated his demands for the quota to all Marathas under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, for which he started his hunger strike on Friday.
The government has expedited the process of issuing a government resolution to meet his demands. Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-led Cabinet sub-committee was due to meet on Tuesday to consider the draft resolution, which is expected to be presented to Jarange-Patil for finalisation.
Jarange Patil said that they abided by the Bombay high court order on Monday to clear out the streets by noon. “We have cleared all the roads around CSMT [Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus] station and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation by parking our vehicles elsewhere,” he said.
He said if the Marathas were coming from across the state, there would be vehicles around the protest site. “They will remain on the streets since the government has made no arrangements,” he said.
Jarange-Patil said the government is under the wrong impression that if it thinks that they will give up because of the use of police force, disconnecting sources of water, food, and lodging cases against protesters. “Nobody can stop Marathas from entering the city [Mumbai]. The government will realise the strength of Marathas after Saturday and Sunday, when they will throng the city in huge numbers.”
He said the strike will continue even in jail if the government tries to suppress their voice. Jarange-Patil said that he will not give in until all the demands are met, and even if he dies. He asked his followers to continue the strike peacefully.
Jarange-Patil warned the government that if the Marathas are prohibited from entering the city, their leaders will not be allowed anywhere in the state. He said the government should start issuing Kunbi certificates immediately.
Jarange-Patil has demanded the inclusion of all Marathas under the OBC category by giving them Kunbi sub-caste certificates. Kunbis have a quota under the OBC category.
Jarange-Patil said the families of the protesters, who lost their lives, should be given compensation and government jobs. He added that police personnel responsible for the atrocities against the protesters should be booked for attempted murder. “The cases against the protesters filed in 2023 and 2024 should be withdrawn,” he said
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