Activist Manoj Jarange made a startling revelation, asserting that certain Maratha leaders had previously opposed the community’s pursuit of a quota, with additional pressure exerted by OBC (Other Backward Classes) leaders to dissuade the government from granting reservations to the Marathas over the past three to four decades.
Speaking to reporters at a private hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra, where he is currently undergoing treatment after concluding his fast in support of the quota demand last week, Jarange declared, “Should we not be granted reservation by December 24, we will not hesitate to unveil the identities of these leaders.”
In light of the protests spearheaded by Jarange, the Maharashtra government has broadened the scope of the Justice Sandip Shinde (retd) Committee, established to investigate the feasibility of granting Kunbi certificates to members of the Maratha community, thus enabling them to avail themselves of reservations under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.
One of Jarange’s primary demands is to have Marathas included under the Kunbi category for reservation purposes.
Chhagan Bhujbal, a promitra minister and a leader of the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction), publicly expressed opposition to any surreptitious efforts aimed at providing reservation to the Maratha community within the OBC category. He further stressed that the government will not tolerate any acts of violence or pressure tactics.
Jarange reiterated on Wednesday, “Maratha leaders did not support our cause, and consequently, we were denied reservation. Furthermore, the government had faced pressure from OBC leaders for the past 30-40 years. If the Maratha community does not receive the deserved reservation by December 24, we will reveal the identities of these leaders.”
