Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange says won't return from Mumbai without reservation

Pic: PTI File

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange said on Thursday that their rally to Mumbai would remain peaceful, but emphasized that they wouldn't return from the state capital without securing reservation for the community.

"We are now left with one last stop, which is at Vashi. After Vashi, we will go towards Mumbai peacefully, but we will not come back without reservation. From today on, our number will increase and all the Maratha people from all over Maharashtra will gather in Mumbai. The people of Mumbai are also with us," Patil said according to a report in ANI.

He urged everyone to become volunteers, keep a watch on their surroundings, and promptly inform the police of any discrepancies. "Everyone has to take on the responsibility of becoming a volunteer starting today. Everyone has to keep an eye on their nearby locations. If they see anything wrong, they should immediately inform the police. Our demand is that the government must immediately give a Kunbi certificate to all 54 lakhs whose proof of being Kunabi has been found till now," he said.

The Maratha quota activist further said that their agitation has been very peaceful and he promised that this would continue to be peaceful, the ANI report said. "This agitation will not halt till the last person in the Maratha community gets reservation," said Patil.

Meanwhile, heavy security deployments were made at both entry and exit points of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway at Lonavala ahead of Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil's Padayatra.

Also read: Maratha Reservation protest: Mumbai police denies permission to Manoj Jarange for hunger strike in Azad Maidan

Maratha reservation supporters wanted to go towards Mumbai via the Mumbai-Pune Expressway but the police permitted them to travel through the old Pune-Mumbai highway.

Maratha reservation protests reignited in Maharashtra on Friday as Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil led a march to Mumbai demanding immediate implementation of the Maratha reservation.

The Supreme Court posted for hearing on January 24 a curative petition filed by the Maharashtra government challenging its May 5, 2021 judgment, which had held the Maratha reservation law unconstitutional.

The curative petition is the last chance available to the people or parties in the case after the review petition is dismissed.

On May 5, 2021, the Supreme Court struck down reservations for the Maratha community in colleges, higher educational institutions, and jobs, after noting that there was no valid ground to breach 50 per cent reservation while granting Maratha reservation.

Jarange Patil earlier told ANI that he did not have any option but to march to Mumbai

"We don't have any other option than to go to Mumbai. Today is the second day of the padayatra. Nearly 15 lakh people joined the padayatra yesterday. We have to ask some of them to go back to avoid inconvenience," Patil said on Sunday.

Patil also said that on January 25 and 26, Mumbai will be filled with Maratha people and they will not walk back from there without reservations.

"...but one thing is sure, on January 25 evening and January 26, Mumbai will be full of Maratha people and the whole of Mumbai will become Bhagva (saffron). Our community will go in full strength. One thing is sure we will not back from here without taking reservations at whatever cost..we will not take our step back," Patil said. (With inputs from ANI)