Maratha community members hold 'rasta roko' in Pune in solidarity with Manoj Jarange over quota issue

File photo for representation. PTI

Members of some Maratha organisations staged a road blockade on Pune-Solapur highway in Maharashtra's Pune on Friday to express solidarity with activist Manoj Jarange, police said.

Jarange has been on an indefinite fast since February 10 to press for the demand for quota to the community, newswire PTI reported. The protest was held near Yavat.

"The members of various Maratha outfits staged a 'rasta roko' protest on Pune-Solapur road in the afternoon. But the highway has been cleared now and the traffic movement has been restored, " inspector Narayan Deshmukh of Yavat police station said.

Mayur Dorge, a member of Maratha organisation 'Sakal Maratha Samaj', said that even as Jarange's hunger strike has entered the seventh day, the government is indifferent towards his demands.

"To condemn the state government's attitude and to support Jarange, we staged a rasta roko protest for 45 minutes," he said.

A protest was also held by some Maratha organisations near Kiwale Road in Pimpri Chinchwad area near Pune city to support Jarange.

Jarange has been on the hunger strike at his native Antarwali Sarati village in Maharashtra's Jalna district.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission on Friday submitted a report on its survey on the social, economic, and educational backwardness of the Maratha community, the Chief Minister's Office said, newswire PTI reported.

The massive exercise covered nearly 2.5 crore families.

The report will enable the government to introduce a law ensuring reservation for the Maratha community with the backing of necessary data, the CMO said, reported PTI.

The government has also announced a special session on February 20 to discuss the Maratha community's demands for quota in education and government jobs. Activist Manoj Jarange is currently on an indefinite fast at his native place in Jalna district over Maratha reservation.

The report was submitted by chairperson of the commission Justice (retd) Sunil Shukre to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the CMO said, reported PTI.

"The survey will be discussed in the state cabinet meeting," it said, quoting CM Shinde.

Shinde has stressed that Marathas will be given reservation without disturbing the existing quota of other communities, the PTI report said. (With inputs from PTI)