Manoj Jarange Patil, the activist who spearheaded the campaign to grant Marathas caste-based reservations and is currently on a hunger strike, applauded the introduction and passage of the reservation bill in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, but argued that the proposed reservation did not meet the demands of the community.
“We need reservation which we deserve, give us reservation under OBC to those who’s proof of being kunbi has been found and those who don’t have proof of kunbi, for them pass a law of “Sage Soyare”,” Patil said minutes after the Bill was passed unanimously by the Legislative Assembly.
On Wednesday at noon, he has called a meeting of the Maratha community. Jarange Patil is requesting that the ability to register a Kunbi should also be granted to one’s blood relatives. In Maharashtra, the Kunbi caste belongs to the OBC bloc. Jarange Patil insisted that all Maratha people be treated as Kunbi and receive reservations in accordance with that (under the OBC Quota). However, the government determined that benefits under this scheme would only be granted to those who possess documents from the Nizam era proving their Kunbi certificates. “I urge everyone to attend the meeting at Antarvali Sarati as soon as possible. I refuse to back down from my demand to use Sage Soyare.
“The reservation given by government will benifit only 100 -150 people of Maratha , our people will remain deprived from reservation..Ttherefore I am demanding to implement “Sage Soyare” the next round of agitation will be announced tomorrow…We will take it what we deserve,” he added.
Meanwhile, Manoj Jarange Patil removed the intravenous drip from his hand and denied to take further treatment fron the doctors.
The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly (lower house) unanimously passed the Maratha Reservation Bill tabled on Tuesday, which intended to extend 10 per cent reservation to Marathas above the 50 per cent cap.
The bill will now be presented by the CM to the Legislative Council for approval, at which point it will become a law. According to Vijay Wadettiwar, the leader of the opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly, all opposition parties support giving the Maratha community reservation rights. To tabulate and further consider this special Bill, the state government called a one-day special session of the state legislature. The Mahayuti government led by Eknath Shinde approved a bill on Tuesday that increases the Maratha quota to 10%. This bill is similar to the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act, 2018, which was introduced by the previous Devendra Fadnavis government.
