Unite for quota cause or face consequences in Maharashtra assembly elections: Manoj Jarange tells Maratha leaders

Manoj Jarange. File Pic

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Tuesday urged MLAs and MPs from his community to unite in the fight for reservation under the OBC category or face consequences in the forthcoming Maharashtra assembly elections, reported news agency PTI.

Speaking to reporters, Manoj Jarange outlined plans to hold peaceful rallies in every district of Maharashtra from July 6 to 13, advocating for the Maratha quota demand.

"Leaders of the Maratha community should attend these rallies in solidarity for Maratha reservation. They should demand the implementation of the draft notification of 'Sage Soyare' (blood relatives) and the old Hyderabad and Satara gazettes which have proved that Marathas are Kunbis," he said, reported PTI.

Jarange has been at the forefront of protests demanding the implementation of a draft notification that recognises Kunbis as "sage soyare" (blood relatives) of Maratha community members. He is also pushing for a law that identifies Kunbis as Marathas, making them eligible for quota under the OBC grouping.

"Those Maratha leaders who fail to support the reservation cause will face consequences in the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections," he added, reported PTI.

The polarisation of Maratha votes is believed to have benefited the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in recent Lok Sabha elections, to the detriment of the BJP.

Jarange also accused Maharashtra cabinet minister and NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal of uniting OBC leaders against the Maratha reservation, reported PTI.

The quota activist claimed he was lured and offered various positions to abandon the Maratha quota stir but he won't budge, reported PTI.

"It seems the government is not keen to fulfil our demands, so our struggle would last long," he added, reported PTI.

Amid the quota protests, the Maharashtra legislature earlier this year unanimously passed a bill providing 10 per cent reservation for the Maratha community in education and government jobs.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Minister Shambhuraj Desai said the government will seek a report from the Jalna police regarding claims that Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange's village was under drone surveillance, reported PTI.

If needed, the activist's security will be upgraded, the minister said in the assembly while responding to the concerns raised by the Leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar, reported PTI.

Wadettiwar alleged that Jarange's Antarwali Sarati was under drone surveillance and the government must provide security to him.

Raising the issue in the assembly, Waddetiwar claimed that the activist's life may be in danger, reported PTI.

Antarwali Sarati has become the epicentre for protests for reservations for the Maratha community in government jobs and education.

(With inputs from PTI)