Mumbai, Sep 2 (PTI) The BJP appealed to Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Tuesday to call off his agitation, invoking Mahatma Gandhi’s example of pausing movements when necessary.
Building on this appeal, the party also cautioned Jarange against potential political misuse of the protest.
This response from the BJP came after Jarange, whose hunger strike had entered its fifth day, asserted that he would not leave Mumbai until his demands were met.
“Every agitation needs some adjustments for it to succeed. Sometimes, it has to be halted for a while. Even Mahatma Gandhi had suspended his movements at times. You have brought the pain of the Maratha community before society, and the community has already been granted 10 per cent reservation. It is now time to stop,” Maharashtra BJP chief spokesperson Keshav Upadhye stated on X.
He asked Jarange not to allow his stir to be hijacked by political players.
“Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP) and the Congress are not making their roles clear on Maratha reservation under the OBC quota. Instead of resolving the issue, these parties want to keep two communities fighting so that the three parties of the MVA can do politics,” he alleged.
Amid this backdrop, and referring to the unrest in Mumbai during the past few days, Upadhye recalled that the Maratha community had earlier held successful silent marches by lakhs.
“The incidents of the last four or five days have created doubts. Those who caused disorder may be dismissed as outsiders, but the reality does not change,” he added.
The BJP leader maintained that the ruling Mahayuti government had fulfilled most of Jarange’s demands and reiterated his party’s stand that the Maratha community should get reservation without disturbing the OBC quota.
The Maharashtra legislature passed a bill in February 2024, unanimously granting a 10 per cent reservation to the Maratha community under a separate category. Jarange, however, rejected the measure, insisting that the community must be given recognition as Kunbis so that it can secure quota benefits available under the OBC category. PTI ND NSK
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