MUMBAI: Maratha quota leader Manoj Jarange Patil on Friday began an indefinite protest at Azad Maidan, joined by thousands of demonstrators, to press his demand for the inclusion of the Maratha community in the Other Backwards Category (OBC).
Manoj Jarange Patil stated that he is ready to face a bullet or any consequences but will not leave Mumbai until the demand for Maratha inclusion in the OBC category is fulfilled. He emphasised that the Maratha community protesters are willing to cooperate with the state government, but they expect reciprocity.
He said, “We want a sustainable reservation, not one that can be challenged and overturned in court. Maratha and Kunbi are the same, and marriages also take place between these two communities. The marriage between Maratha and Kunbi is not called an inter caste marriage but a same caste marriage. If Kunbis are given the OBC reservation, then Marathas should also be given it. And the state government has the power to do that.”
From Friday morning, an unprecedented number of people arrived in local trains to join the protest at Azad Maidan. The protesters brought their own food and prepared to stay in Mumbai for an extended period.
Some of them even cooked on the footpaths. Despite continuous rain in the city, the protesters remained at Azad Maidan, parking their vehicles nearby and constructing makeshift shelters.
The protesters’ vehicles caused major traffic congestion, particularly in South Mumbai. The Eastern Expressway and Atal Setu also experienced severe jams. However, the demonstrators opened the way for ambulances. They raised slogans to encourage each other and to press their demand.
Reacting to the protest, Uddhav Thackeray said, “It is the right of the protesters to come to the capital of Maharashtra to press their demand; they cannot go to Surat or Guwahati. Mumbai is the capital of Maharashtra, so, naturally, the protesters will come here. Now, it is the responsibility of the state government to address their issue. We are not in power now.”
Rohit Pawar, NCP SP MLA, criticised the state government for preventing the protesters from accessing food at Azad Maidan. He said, “Police forced many food stalls to shut down, which caused difficulties for the protesters in getting food and water nearby. It is the responsibility of the state to provide everything, but the state here is interested in cutting all key supplies to the protesters.”
