Maratha protest leader rejects government’s offer to meet in Mumbai, group of ministers to visit him again after discussing deadline with the chief minister
Manoj Jarange. Pic/Twitter
Manoj Jarange, who has been fasting for the Maratha quota in Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district, gave the government four more days on Tuesday to come up with an ordinance to restore the Maratha quota in education and jobs.
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Jarange told a visiting delegation of ministers, which attempted to convince him to break his fast, that the time given by him was enough as against a month sought by the government. Rural Development Minister Girish Mahajan, who has played a mediator in many a crisis, invited Jarange to Mumbai to discuss the nitty-gritty of the matter concerning Marathas from Marathwada which was part of the erstwhile Nizam state. But Jarange rejected the suggestion and stayed put. The ministers would come back after discussing the deadline with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The eligible Marathas have been assured that the government would explore the possibility of giving them a certificate of Kunbi caste, which they had in the time of the Nizam state. This would help eligible people get the benefits provided to the Other Backward Class (OBC) category. The government is still working out how to restore the quota which was scrapped by the Supreme Court.
NCP boss Sharad Pawar suggested that the Centre could amend the constitutional provision to ease the reservation cap of 50 per cent and make more space for others, including Marathas. Pawar said on Tuesday that the Opposition would not support the quota if there was an attempt to make the OBCs share their quota with others.
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It was during Jarange’s fast that the police had lathi-charged the crowd last weekend. The police action resulted in the protest spreading like wildfire across the state. On Tuesday as well, the agitations were conducted in some parts of the state. Home Minister and deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis had tendered an apology to the injured on Monday while Shinde assured to expedite the process.
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