Page 2 - Maratha Community

Not satisfied with CM Shinde's decision on Maratha quota demand: Bhujbal

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 .

Maratha quota activist Jarange calls off his protest over reservation issue

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 CM Shinde to meet Maratha quota activist Jarange today

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 stir: Protest peacefully, says Maharashtra deputy CM Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said everyone has the right to protest but it should be done peacefully, amid opposition allegations that the government is taking the Marathas for a ride. Talking to reporters on Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange's plan to march to Azad Maidan in south Mumbai to press for their demands, Fadnavis, who is also the state's home minister, said protests should be done in a peaceful manner without disturbing law and order. Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said he supports reservation for the Maratha community in government jobs and education. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is trying to resolve the issue through talks, he said. State Congress president Nana Patole accused the government of disturbing social harmony and said the Maratha quota should be granted in a constitutional manner. The 50 per cent cap on reservation should be removed which will pave the way for the (Maratha) quota. Jarange should be given protection and if he is har

No going back on Maratha quota protest till all demands are met: Jarange

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

Maratha quota stir: Jarange reaches Mumbai outskirts with supporters

Maratha quota leader Manoj Jarange Friday reached Navi Mumbai with thousands of supporters to push for reservation for the Maratha community. Jarange and other Maratha activists reached the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) on outskirts of Mumbai around 5 am by bikes, cars, jeeps, tempos and trucks. As per his plan, Jarange, along with his supporters, will begin his hunger strike at Azad Maidan on Friday. The protesters are demanding Kunbi (OBC) status to the Maratha community. Despite the Mumbai Police issuing a notice to him denying him permission to hold a hunger strike in the city, Jarange announced on Thursday that he will reach Azad Maidan in south Mumbai on January 26. In a notice issued under section 149 of the Criminal Procedure Code that enables the police to prevent cognisable offences, the police said, Mumbai is the financial capital of the country and various financial institutions, international advocacy and other financial centers are working in Mumbai. ..

Maharashtra state commission to assess backwardness of Marathas: CM Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has said the state Commission for Backward Classes will conduct a survey from January 23 to asses the social, economic and educational backwardness of the Maratha community. The Maratha community has been demanding reservation in government jobs and education under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category. The chief minister on Saturday directed the administration to carry out the survey in three different shifts on a war footing. Shinde chaired a meeting on the Maratha reservation issue at his official residence here and gave instructions to divisional commissioners, collectors, commissioners of municipal corporations and other senior officials via a video link. The survey announcement came on the day when Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange embarked on a protest march to state capital Mumbai from Jalna with thousands of supporters. Jarange has announced to launch an indefinite fast for the Maratha quota in Mumbai from January 26. He has

Prepare flawless survey report on Maratha community for quota: Maha CM

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday directed the state officials to prepare a "flawless" survey report of the Maratha community in the state. Shinde issued the directives to the divisional commissioners, district collectors and municipal commissioners in the state in a video-conference meeting held during the day. Referring to the Supreme Court's decision of striking down the Maharashtra Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Act, 2018, for having breached the 50 per cent reservation cap, he said, "The apex court pointed out several errors in that Act while striking it down. We have filed a curative petition and need a flawless survey report over the Maratha community." A questionnaire has already been sent to all the district collectors, he said, adding that there was a need to increase the number of enumerators as it was a "crucial" report for the government. "The state government has made Rs 367 crore available to the State Backward Class Commission.

Maratha quota row: Jarange to stage indefinite strike in Mumbai from Jan 20

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Saturday announced he will start an indefinite strike at Azad Maidan in Mumbai from January 20 to intensify his demand for reservation for the community. Addressing a massive rally in Beed district in Maharashtra's Marathwada region, Jarange claimed "crores" of people from the Maratha community will come to Mumbai on January 20. Meanwhile, in a video message, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said the Supreme Court has accepted the curative petition filed by the state government pertaining to the Maratha reservation issue and has scheduled a hearing on January 24. This, Shinde said, has opened a "window of hope' for the community. He asserted his government is committed to giving reservation to the Maratha community and urged people to observe restraint. Shinde also said quota benefits of other groups will remain untouched while giving reservation to the Marathas. Speaking at the rally in Beed, Jarange said, "I will start an indefinite hunger st

Supreme Court reserves order on petitions against Maratha reservation

One of the appeals filed by J Laxman Rao Patil had earlier sought stay on the High Court order

Why Marathas are deserting Cong, NCP and seeking shelter in BJP, Shiv Sena

The exodus is so overwhelming that three descendants of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the most revered Maratha hero, are now all in the BJP

Educational sops for poor in Maharashtra

In the wake of the Maratha community's agitation for reservations in education and jobs, the government of Maharashtra announced some decisions on Thursday regarding educational benefits. The state cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, raised to Rs 6 lakh the upper income limit for defining an Economically Backward Class and announced extension of monetary benefits under this category to students from all castes.Earlier, scheduled castes and tribes were eligible for 100 per cent fee reimbursement and Other Backward Class students for 50 per cent.