29 December,2023 03:02 PM IST | Jalna | mid-day online correspondent
Manoj Jarange/ PTI
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil has called a mass assembly of at least 3 crore Marathas in Mumbai beginning January 20 to demand reservation for the Maratha community. Jarange-Patil promised a peaceful march in a media address, inviting people from across Maharashtra to participate by whatever means of transportation without fear of confiscation of the vehicles, stated a report in IANS.
Jarange Patil was quoted as saying in the IANS report, "From January 20, people will leave their towns and villages all over Maharashtra⦠They will come on foot, in buses, big and small vehicles or tractors. It will be a peaceful march, nobody will carry stones or resort to violence."
Starting off on foot from his hamlet, Jarange-Patil expects a large crowd to join him along the way. The culmination point of his hunger strike would be Azad Maidan in south Mumbai. If the march is obstructed, he has threatened to encircle the Mumbai and Nagpur homes of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Responding to the query on obstruction of the protestors, Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil said, "Then thousands of Marathas will go and surround the Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis' homes in Mumbai and Nagpur."
Regarding the venue for addressing the crowd, Jarange-Patil emphasised the importance of occupying numerous grounds in Mumbai, given the large anticipated turnout. Despite Mumbai's limited open areas, he highlighted that the priority is to secure bookings, regardless of any obstacles, stated the report.
According to the report, Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil asked the Marathas to unite to demonstrate their might to the government. He rejected the proposed special legislative session in February 2024 for reservation announcement because he was dissatisfied with the government's tardiness in meeting their concerns.
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil reaffirmed the demand for Kunbi Caste (OBC) certificates for eligible Marathas and vowed to fight for the community's deserved reservation till it is granted.
"The aim is reservations, the direction is Mumbai⦠We are going to Mumbai means we are going there⦠There's no stopping now. And we will come back with the quotas," he said and called upon all his supporters "to bury all differences" and start joining the rally from their homes.
The activist, whose protest hit the headlines after the violence in Jalna district earlier this year, said they had given sufficient time to the Maharashtra government to declare the quotas and "now, we will not give even one hour extra".
With IANS inputs
