Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Aug 17 (PTI) Quota activist Manoj Jarange on Monday alleged that the Maharashtra government wants to slash the number of Kunbi caste certificates for eligible members of the Maratha community and demanded that certificates be issued as per the data of 58 lakh records.
He appealed to the Maratha community to become aggressive in pursuing its demands and raise its voice against injustice. “They should not come under pressure from any political party or individual,” he said.
Reiterating his call for a protest, Jarange said he would embark on a tour of Marathwada and parts of the Vidarbha region from August 20 to 25. He had announced an indefinite fast from August 29, seeking OBC quota for eligible members of the Maratha community.
“The agitation will take place for pending demands of the Maratha community. The government should issue all the certificates based on the 58 lakh records found earlier. The government wants to curtail this figure of 58 lakh, but I will not let it happen,” he told reporters in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
He demanded that the (Kunbi) caste certificates issued so far should be validated.
His other demands include a GR of Satara, Kolhapur, Aundh and Bombay gazettes, revocation of cases against Maratha protesters, and wrapping up the process to grant government appointments for candidates selected under SEBC and EWS quotas before August 29.
“The government should release pending dues and complete the process to appoint kin of those who sacrificed their lives for the Maratha quota. Reimbursements through Annasaheb Patil Mahamandal and student scholarships should be settled by August 29,” Jarnage added.
Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Research, Training and Human Development Institute (SARTHI) is an autonomous institute of the state government.
Jarange demanded that the schemes halted through SARTHI be restarted and that adequate funds be released for them.
“We have presented all these demands to the government in writing. No demand should remain pending by August 29,” he said.
He also demanded that the government issue caste certificates based on the 58 lakh records identified earlier.
Jarange also spoke about a meeting held on Sunday at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna, where he interacted with scholars from the Maratha community.
“I had called scholars from the Maratha community and those working on reservation to discuss the changes the community wants in the government orders. However, I came across a few people who, despite being Marathas, were speaking against the community. They appear to be more loyal to their political parties than to the Maratha community,” he claimed.
He also took a dig at political leaders from the ruling parties, accusing them of provoking members of the Maratha community.
“Ministers Sanjay Shirsat and Chandrashekhar Bawankule, and MP Sandipan Bhumre have decided to damage the Maratha community. They are encouraging people to approach the courts,” Jarange alleged.
He further alleged that caste-validity certificates that had already been issued were being subjected to fresh scrutiny.
“Minister Vikhe (Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil), who heads the Maratha reservation sub-committee, has started a new process of rechecking the validity (of certificates issued earlier). Is only the validity of Maratha community certificates being checked, or are certificates of other communities also being scrutinised? “The government should not act in a way that provokes the community. I had earlier said that six validity cases have been pending in Jalna for months,” Jarange claimed.
He said the ministers in the Devendra Fadnavis-led cabinet are not behaving properly.
“There is a great deal of anger among students, businessmen, farmers, micro-OBC groups and Adivasis,” Jarange added. PTI AW NSK
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