Maratha Quota

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Sunday told the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti government and the opposition not to do politics in the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and demanded strict punishment against those involved in insulting state and national icons. Jarange visited the Rajkot Fort in Malvan, where a 35-foot statue of the 17th-century Maratha warrior king, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, collapsed on August 26. The incident caused outrage across the state, with the prime minister apologising for the event. Talking to reporters here, Jarange said, "There should be no politics over it, both the opposition and the government. The government should conduct a detailed probe into the matter. The contractors should not be spared." He said both the opposition and the Mahayuti government were doing politics in the name of Shivaji. "There should be a law. Those who insult icons should rot in jail and not come out in a few days," the activist said, adding that the

A group of Maratha quota activists confronted NCP (SP) Maharashtra unit chief Jayant Patil and sought the party's stand on the issue of reservations for the community. The incident took place during the Sharad Pawar-led party's 'Shivrajya Yatra' in Badnapur here on Sunday. Patil was accompanied by Lok Sabha MP Amol Kolhe and MLA Rajesh Tope. The activists wanted Patil to make a statement on the party's stand on granting reservations to Marathas in jobs and education. The NCP (SP) leader experienced a similar episode in Ghanswanghi, which is just a few kilometres away from Antarwali Sarati, the epicentre of the Maratha quota stir being led by activist Manoj Jarange. In Bhokardan, during an event associated with the yatra, several people indulged in sloganeering, leading to Patil not delivering his speech, eye witnesses said. Patil ended the event by saying Tope had spoken well so there was no need for him to add anything more. He also admonished the crowd for indiscipline, and ...

Maratha activist Manoj Jarange on Wednesday suspended his indefinite fast, which he began five days ago over the quota issue, stating that his community members say they want him alive to fight for the cause. He announced the decision while addressing media persons at his native Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district of Maharashtra. Jarange had launched his latest fast on July 20 in support of his demands, including implementation of the draft notification that recognises Kunbis as 'sage soyare' (blood relatives) of Maratha community members and granting reservation to the latter under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. The activist, who had been refusing intravenous fluids, agreed to receive them from Tuesday night. Talking to reporters this morning, he said, "My community says they want me alive. There is tremendous pressure from the community. If I die, it would cause a division within the community. Therefore, I have decided to suspend my fast." Jarange criticised

Quota activist Manoj Jarange on Saturday announced to launch indefinite fast from July 20 if the government fails to grant the reservation to Marathas by midnight on July 13. Jarange has urged the Marathas to gather in Mumbai for the next phase of the agitation, with the schedule to be declared on July 20. Speaking at a rally in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, he stated that the protest for Maratha reservation will resume on July 20 at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district if their demands are not met by midnight. "The one-month deadline for the government to implement the Maratha quota has ended today. Today, I tell the government that nine demands of the Maratha community should be fulfilled. It is just the end of the first phase. More phases of the tour are in the pipeline," he said. He emphasised that if the government fails to grant the reservation by tonight, the agitation will be reignited on July 20, and he will also join the protest in Mumbai. Jarange has been leading ...

Uproarious scenes were witnessed in the Maharashtra assembly on Wednesday as BJP members criticised the opposition for boycotting the all-party meeting called by the government on the Maratha reservation issue the previous day. Amid slogan-shouting by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members and noisy scenes, the House was adjourned three times. Raising the issue in the Lower House, Ameet Satam (BJP) accused the opposition of playing politics over the quota issue. He asked the opposition to clarify its stand on the demand that Marathas be given reservation from the OBC (Other Backward Classes) quota. "The opposition only wants to create a rift between the two communities," he charged. Ashish Shelar (BJP) claimed the opposition backtracked at the last minute from attending the all-party meeting. Members of the treasury benches trooped into the well of the House, slamming the opposition. Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar accused the government of creating a social divide and .

The Maharashtra government on Tuesday pushed for evolving a consensus on reservation in jobs and education for Marathas at an all-party meeting here and asserted that while resolving the emotive issue, the existing quota of other communities will not be disturbed. The all-party meeting on the Maratha reservation issue convened in the evening was boycotted by the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). It was convened ahead of the assembly polls due in October and days before the end of a deadline set by Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange for the state government to accept the community's demands, including quota under the OBC category. A statement released by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) late in the night quoted CM Eknath Shinde as saying that the issue of reservation for the Maratha community and OBCs can be resolved only through talks. Shinde emphasised the state government was committed to ensure that the 10 per cent reservation given to the Maratha community under a ...

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday said the Centre cannot be a mere spectator and it should take lead to resolve matters pertaining to the quota demand by the Maratha community and Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Asked about the increasing Maratha-OBC conflict over the reservation issue in Maharashtra, Pawar said there is only one solution that the Centre should take the lead to resolve it and there is a need for amendments in law and the state and Centre's policies. The former Union minister was speaking to reporters at Baramati in Maharashtra's Pune district. In February this year, the Maharashtra legislature unanimously passed a bill granting a separate 10 per cent reservation in education and jobs to the Maratha community under a separate category. However, the community has been demanding quota under the OBC grouping. Activist Manoj Jarange has been demanding implementation of the draft notification that recognises Kunbis as sage soyare (blood relatives) of Maratha commun

Activist Manoj Jarange has accused the Maharashtra government of cheating Marathas over quota and declared that the community will back only those political leaders who genuinely support reservation for its members. The bill passed by the state legislature providing quota for Marathas in government jobs and education won't stand any legal scrutiny, Jarange claimed while addressing Sakal Maratha Samaj members at Udgir in Latur district on Wednesday. The activist also slammed Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis alleging that he wished to crush the Maratha agitation by hook or by crook. The government has deceived Marathas. It passed the Maratha reservation bill which we never demanded. I know the bill won't stand any legal scrutiny. We want the implementation of sage soyare' (kin from family tree). We want reservation under the OBC category only, he said. With just days to go for the Lok Sabha polls in the state, which will be held in five phases between April 19 and May 20, Jara

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Sunday alleged that Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was conspiring to sabotage protests staged by the community for reservation in government jobs and education. Addressing a gathering at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, Jarange claimed that Fadnavis was trying to defame him by roping in people to malign his image. When the lathi-charge happened during protests in Jalna last year, Fadnavis had to apologise. This hurt him deeply, so he is trying to sabotage the Maratha quota protest, the activist said. He claimed that the state government was run by Fadnavis, not Chief Minister Eknath Shinde or Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. The activist alleged that Fadnavis was trying to threaten the Marathas in the state, and the move would backfire on him. He further said, Unfortunately, some Maratha leaders in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were helping Fadnavis defame me. Jarange warned that he would begin a protest

Maratha activist Manoj Jarange on Saturday accused the Maharashtra government of using tricks and conspiracies to undermine their ongoing agitation for reservation for the community in government jobs and education. Addressing the media at his Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, Jarange said he would disclose his next course of action on Sunday and asked people from the community to gather there. He alleged that the government was deploying tricks and conspiracies the scuttle their efforts for quota and questioned the delay in converting the notification on blood relatives' of Kunbi Marathas into a law. Jaranage also accused the police of registering cases against Maratha protesters at the behest of the state home minister (Devendra Fadnavis). The activist urged Maratha community members to hold rasta roko (road blockade) from 11 am to 1 pm at their respective places on Saturday, revising his earlier call to hold such demonstrations in morning or evening hours. The Maharas

The state government has convened a one-day special session of the state legislature for tabling and further consideration of this special Bill

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday tabled a bill in the state legislative assembly, proposing 10 per cent reservation to the Maratha community in education and government jobs. The Maharashtra State Socially and Educationally Backward Bill 2024 also proposed that after the reservation comes into effect, its review could be taken after 10 years. A day-long special session of the state legislature on Maratha quota is currently underway here. Notably, the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission on Friday submitted a report on its survey on the social, economic, and educational backwardness of the Maratha community. The massive exercise covered nearly 2.5 crore families. One of the key findings in the bill tabled by CM Shinde underscores that the population of the Maratha community in the state is 28 per cent. Out of the total Maratha families that are below poverty line, 21.22 per cent hold the yellow ration cards. It is higher than the state's average of 17.4 pe

The committee proposed a 10 per cent reservation for Marathas in education and jobs, similar to that given in 2018 by the then-state government

The survey being carried out by the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission in connection with the Maratha quota will end just before midnight on Friday and it will not be extended, MSBCC has said. In a letter to all district collectors and municipal commissioners on Thursday, the MSBCC said, The software (APK) used for this survey will be shut at 2359 hours (11:59 pm) on Friday. There will not be any extension given to the survey. Thus, no such demand should be made. The officials concerned should inform all the enumerators to complete their survey tomorrow within the stipulated time. The commission should be informed about the completion of the report by 10 am on February 3 by submitting a certificate, the MSBCC added in the letter. The survey is being carried out to support the state government's curative petition filed in the Supreme Court in connection with the Maratha quota, which has been revived by activist Manoj Jarange. The SC had on May 5, 2021, struck down reservati

Maharashtra cabinet minister Chhagan Bhujbal, who has questioned the "backdoor entry" of Marathas into the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, on Sunday said he was not satisfied with the state government's decision on the reservation issue. Bhujbal also claimed that Justice (retd) Sandeep Shinde, who heads a committee set up to find Kunbi records of Marathas, was getting almost double the salary drawn by the Chief Justice of India and called it an unnecessary expenditure. Activist Manoj Jarange on Saturday called off his indefinite fast for Maratha quota after the Maharashtra government accepted his demands, with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announcing that till Marathas get reservation, they will be given all the benefits enjoyed by the OBCs. A draft notification was issued by the government following negotiations with Jarange, stating that blood relatives of a Maratha person, who has records to show that he belongs to the agrarian Kunbi community, would also be recognised as .

Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Saturday appeared to target his own government led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as he questioned the "backdoor entry" of Marathas into the Other Backward Classes (OBC) community. He also termed the draft notification issued by the state government providing Kunbi certificates to all Marathas as a mere "eyewash", and said caste is determined by birth and not affidavits. The veteran OBC leader was talking to reporters here after Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange called off his indefinite fast in neighbouring Navi Mumbai this morning after the state government accepted his demands over reservation to his community. The state government issued a draft notification this morning to recognise as Kunbis all blood relatives of the Maratha community members whose Kunbi caste records have been found. Kunbi, an agrarian community, falls in the OBC category. Jarange had been demanding Kunbi certificates for all Marathas. Bhujbal, the food and civil

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Saturday said he has called off his protest over the reservation issue, saying the Maharashtra government has accepted all the demands. He expressed satisfaction that the government has issued a notification to issue Kunbi caste certificates to all relatives of the Marathas whose records (linked to Kunbi caste) have been found. He made the announcement at Vashi in neighbouring Navi Mumbai, where he camped overnight with thousands of supporters after reaching the place on Friday morning. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is set to meet Jarange. Both of them are likely to address the people present there. Jarange on Friday made a fresh demand that the government amend its free education policy to include all Marathas until the benefit of reservation becomes available for the entire community. He has sought data of the 37 lakh Kunbi certificates issued by the state government. Kunbi, an agrarian community, falls in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) .

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will meet Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Saturday at Vashi in neighbouring Navi Mumbai, where the latter has been camping with thousands of protesters over the demand for reservation to his community, officials said. CM Shinde's meeting with Jarange assumes significance after the state government on Friday night came out with a draft ordinance regarding the reservation demands of Marathas. The government came out with the ordinance as per Jarange's demand, and a team of government officials visited him last night at the camp site. During his speech on Friday, Jarange had warned that he and his supporters would enter Mumbai on Saturday for their planned protest at Azad Maidan ground if their demands were not met by Friday night. He also made a fresh demand that the government amend its free education policy to include all Marathas until the benefit of reservation becomes available for the entire community. He has sought data of the

Maratha quota leader Manoj Jarange on Friday asserted that he won't abandon his agitation midway till the community is granted reservation in government jobs and education, while Maharashtra minister Deepak Kesarkar said the activist's demands have been accepted. Jarange was addressing protesters at Shivaji Chowk in the Vashi area of neighbouring Navi Mumbai after a meeting with a government delegation. The activist said the delegation has given him some documents which he will discuss with his supporters to announce their future course of action. There is no going back on the agitation till we get reservation, he asserted. The government is trying to persuade Jarange not to proceed to Mumbai. State education minister Deepak Kesarkar told reporters that Jarange's demands have been accepted and they will be fulfilled as per government procedure. So far, 37 lakh Kunbi certificates have been given and the number will go up to 50 lakh, he said. Earlier, the Maratha quota leader reac