Raj Thackeray's 'proxy' comment upsets Maratha quota activists

Raj Thackeray/ Ashish Rane

Maratha quota activists challenged Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray at Dharashiv (formerly Osmanabad) over his remark about "someone being used as a proxy". Thackeray purportedly stated during his Solapur tour that Maratha quota leaders were being provoked by others, causing activists to seek clarification, reported PTI.

According to the report, an activist informed a Marathi news channel that they went to Thackeray's hotel to calmly seek an explanation and understand his position on the Maratha quota. Thackeray invited the demonstrators to a discussion, but they declined, citing that he talked disrespectfully.

In Solapur, Thackeray commented on the political situation, saying, politicians were using someone as a proxy, ignoring the demands of the OBC, Maratha, and other communities. He questioned the impact of caste politics on educational institutions and advised communities to avoid divisive activities. Thackeray also questioned the impact of caste-based reservations in government positions, given the rise of private-sector employment, the news agency report stated.

Thackeray, per the PTI report, said, "The ongoing political scenario involves using someone as a proxy to push their own agenda, neglecting the needs of students from OBC, Maratha, and other communities. It is evident that these politicians are deceiving us, and it is unlikely that we will gain anything from their actions."

"I have been expressing concern about how caste politics is influencing college and school environments. It's unfortunate to see this trend spreading as it poisons people's minds. It is important for every community to distance themselves from individuals who engage in such divisive practices," Thackeray added.

Manoj Jarange, the head of the Maratha quota campaign, has advocated for Kunbi certificates so that Marathas can obtain OBC quota privileges. During his tour of Solapur, Thackeray stressed the importance of hiring locals and questioned the role of caste in this context, the news agency report stated.

"My stance is that locals should be given priority in job opportunities. Why should caste be a factor in this? If the private sector continues to create jobs, we should think about how many people will actually benefit from reservation in government jobs," the MNS chief said.

According to the report, Thackeray emphasised that students from other states may easily obtain educational and employment possibilities in Maharashtra, however, locals have difficulties. Thackeray noted that Maharashtra is mired in caste politics, detracting from its leadership role in the country.

"Students from other states easily get admission to educational institutes here (Maharashtra) and get jobs. Nobody speaks about the challenges of locals not getting those jobs," Thackeray said.

Thackeray emphasised that his party's full support for the BJP was limited to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and did not include the state assembly polls. He accused the BJP of feeding the opposition a toxic narrative, citing a BJP candidate's statements about rewriting the Constitution, the report added.

The MNS has announced candidates for the Shivdi (Mumbai) and Pandharpur constituencies in the 2018 assembly elections, with ambitions to field candidates in all 288 constituencies across Maharashtra. Thackeray began his Marathwada tour on Monday, hoping to visit each district in the region, the report added.