Fadnavis’ Aide Asks Jarange Patil To Postpone Quota Protest

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ aide on Tuesday met with Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil in Jalna to urge him to postpone his protest in Mumbai in light of the Ganpati festival, PTI reported. Patil had earlier set a deadline of August 26 for the Maharashtra government to grant a 10 per cent quota to the Maratha community under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) grouping. 

The activist had asserted that the march to Mumbai will commence from August 27 if the demands are not met, translating into an indefinite hunger strike at the Azad Maidan in Mumbai on August 29. The CM's Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Rajendra Sable Patil, met Jarange at his native Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district on Tuesday. 

The OSD told reporters "I earlier spoke to Manoj Jarange over phone. I came to meet him today and asked him about the route he is taking to reach Mumbai." "I requested Manoj Jarange if he can postpone the agitation as there is Ganeshotsav (starting from Wednesday)," PTI reported. 

The state government had last year announced 10 per cent reservation for the Maratha community under a separate category. Jarange had been demanding that all Marathas be recognised as Kunbis, an agrarian caste included in the OBC category, thereby making them eligible for reservation in education and government jobs.

He claimed that he has asked the government to allot them one dedicated route to reach the Azad Maidan in Mumbai and added that they will not change it. 

The Bombay High Court has said that Jarange cannot hold a protest for Maratha quota demand without seeking prior permission from authorities.