• By Mayukh Debnath
  • Sun, 25 Feb 2024 04:08 PM (IST)
  • Source:JND
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Maratha Reservation Row: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil on Sunday publicly accused Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of trying to sabotage the community's agitation for reservation in government jobs and education. Addressing a gathering in Jalna district's Antarwali Sarati village, Jarange also alleged that Fadnavis was trying to malign his image by roping in people to defame him.

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"When the lathi-charge happened during protests in Jalna last year, Fadnavis had to apologise. This hurt him deeply, so he is trying to sabotage the Maratha quota protest," the activist was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. Jarange added, "Unfortunately, some Maratha leaders in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were helping Fadnavis defame me."

He also reportedly threatened of protests by the Maratha community outside Sagar bungalow, Fadnavis's official residence in Mumbai. “If I die, place my body in front of his house,” he told the gathering. Earlier this week, Maharashtra Assembly unanimously passed a Bill guaranteeing 10 per cent reservation for Marathas in government jobs and educational institutes under a separrate category.

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However, Jarange later called for fresh protests across Maharashtra demanding that the quota for Marathas be carved out of the existing quota for the Other Backward Classes (OBCs). "We want the government to implement the Sage Soyare ordinance notification and declare the Maratha community as Kunabi and give reservations under the OBC quota. If the government fails to fulfil our demand in two days, we will be resorting to a 'Rasta Roko' (road blockade) statewide. All members of the Maratha community will go for a 'Rasta Roko' at their respective villages, taluka, town...All national highways, state highways and even roads in villages shall be blocked," Jarange had said on Wednesday.

(With inputs from agencies)