• Source:JND
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Maratha Quota Protest: With the Maratha reservation protest entering its third day, activist Manoj Jarange has vowed to stop drinking water and refused to budge from Azad Maidan even if the Fadnavis government fires bullets. He asked the government to issue a Government Resolution (GR) on the existing records. Jarange is pressing a 10 per cent quota for Marathas under the Other Backwards Class (OBC) category.

The Maratha Quota protest has entered its third day on Sunday at Azad Maidan in Mumbai. The Mumbai Police has granted him permission to extend his hunger strike by another day.

“Even Bullets From Fadnavis Government Won’t Deter Us”: ManOJ Jarange

Jarange remained firm and said that he would not leave the protest site at Azad Maidan until the government accepts his demands, asserting that “even if the Fadnavis government fires bullets at protesters.”

He called for the Maharashtra government to immediately issue a GR (government resolution) on the Maratha reservation based on available records.

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“The government should say that Marathas are a sub-caste of Kunbis. There are 58 lakh records that have been found, which show links of Marathas as Kunbis. Those who want a reservation will take it. Don’t generalise Marathas as Kunbis if there is a legal issue,” Jarange said at a press conference on Sunday.

He further stated that no one can prevent Marathas from getting reservations under the OBC category. The Kunbi community, which is traditionally associated with agriculture, is classified under the Other Backwards Class.

“The government has records of 58 lakh Marathas as Kunbis. From tomorrow, I will stop taking water as the government is not accepting the demands. But I am not going back till the quota demand is met. We will get the reservation for Marathas under the OBC category no matter what,” Jarange told.

Government Response On Maratha Quota Protest

The government said a cabinet sub-committee will seek a legal view on implementing the Hyderabad gazetteer for Maratha OBC status, news agency PTI reported. The State minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who is heading the sub-committee, chaired two meetings on the Maratha quota issue.

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“I will meet chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and apprise him of the deliberations the sub-committee had. There is a Supreme Court observation regarding the recognition of Marathas as Kunbis. We cannot override the SC observations. We are open to discussions as a solution needs to be found,” Patil said.