Quota activist Manoj Jarange launched an indefinite hunger strike on Saturday, demanding that the Maharashtra government immediately issue caste certificates based on the 58 lakh Kunbi records identified earlier. He asserted that the Maratha community would not grant the government any more time to address its demands.
Speaking to reporters at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, Jarange described the protest as his "final agitation". He accused Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of holding a "grudge" against the Maratha community and alleged that Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was quietly supporting him.
Jarange also called for the abolition of the caste verification committee and threatened to march to the Chief Minister’s official residence in Mumbai if the government failed to resolve all outstanding quota-related issues.
"Devendra Fadnavis is deliberately bearing a grudge against the Maratha community, and Eknath Shinde is giving him covert support through Social Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat. If they do not resolve our issues, we will march to Varsha bungalow, the Chief Minister’s official residence in Mumbai," he said.
"We will speak to the government delegation if they come to negotiate, but they must arrive with concrete solutions," Jarange added.
Jarange has led several agitations demanding that eligible members of the Maratha community be recognised as Kunbis, an agrarian community that receives reservation benefits in education and government employment under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.
"The government should issue the caste certificates to the Maratha community based on 58 lakh Kunbi records immediately. The community will not give the government more time for this," he said.
The activist urged the state government to issue reservation based on the Satara Gazette, withdraw all police cases registered against quota protesters across Maharashtra, and provide government jobs and financial compensation to the families of those who died during the previous agitations.
He also called for the creation of a dedicated state portfolio for the Maratha and Kunbi communities with immediate staff appointments, disbursal of interest on loans extended through the Annasaheb Patil Arthik Vikas Mahamandal, the release of pending SARTHI student scholarships, and the immediate issuance of appointment letters to candidates selected under the SEBC and EBC quotas.
Alleging systemic bias, the activist said, "This government does not want the Maratha community to grow. I have told our people that while valid historical records have been found, the authority to issue certificates remains with officials who are jealous of the community's progress."
Jarange further alleged that authorities were arbitrarily rejecting valid claims and demanded the abolition of the caste verification committee.
"The government is trying to deny us certificates by rejecting documentary evidence even when it matches. There should be no caste verification process in the state. In other states, Tehsildars and Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) hold authority, so why do we need a separate verification committee here? The law must be uniform," he said.
He further appealed to members of the community to step out and support the movement, urging anyone facing delays or rejections in obtaining caste certificates or validity documents to gather at the protest site in Antarwali Sarati.
(With inputs from PTI)