Govt using tricks, conspiracies to undermine Maratha agitation: Manoj Jarange

Manoj Jarange. File Pic

Maratha activist Manoj Jarange on Saturday accused the Maharashtra government of using "tricks and conspiracies" to undermine their ongoing Maratha agitation for reservation for the community in government jobs and education, reported news agency PTI.

Addressing the media at his Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district amid Maratha agitation, Jarange said he would disclose his next course of action on Sunday and asked people from the community to gather there, reported PTI.

He alleged that the government was deploying "tricks and conspiracies" the scuttle their efforts for quota and questioned the delay in converting the notification on 'blood relatives' of Kunbi Marathas into a law, reported PTI.

Jaranage also accused the police of registering cases against Maratha protesters at the behest of the state home minister (Devendra Fadnavis), reported PTI.

The activist urged Maratha community members to hold "rasta roko" (road blockade) from 11 am to 1 pm at their respective places on Saturday, revising his earlier call to hold such demonstrations in morning or evening hours, reported PTI.

The Maharashtra legislature during a one-day special session on Tuesday unanimously passed a bill providing 10 per cent reservation for the Marathas in education and government jobs under a separate category, but Jarange has been firm on his demand for quota for the community under the OBC head.

A substantial number of castes and groups are already placed in the reserved category, getting about 52 per cent of reservations altogether. It would be completely inequitable to place the Maratha community in the Other Backward Class (OBC) category, the bill said, reported PTI.

As per the draft notification issued by the state government last month, if a Maratha person has proof to show that he or she belongs to Kunbi caste, the person's blood relatives too would be recognised as Kunbi, reported PTI.

The scrutiny of the draft notification issued last month for granting certificates to "extended blood relatives" of Kunbi Marathas is currently underway as 6 lakh objections have been received, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde told the legislative assembly.

Earlier, Activist Manoj Jarange claimed the bill providing 10 per cent reservation to the Maratha community would not stand legal scrutiny and reiterated his demand that the Maharashtra government's draft notification on 'blood relatives' of Kunbi Marathas be converted into a law.

(With inputs from PTI)