CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR: Fasting Maratha quota crusader Manoj Jarange reiterated Tuesday his demand for “blanket” OBC reservations for the entire community, doing so hours after the state government moved forward on a plan to link such benefits to holders of a “Kunbi (farming)” caste certificate.
“None of the decisions taken by the government on Tuesday are acceptable to us.The state should abstain from distributing Kunbi certificates. If the government fails to take a decision till Wednesday evening, I will quit water again,”Jarange said after speaking to CM Eknath Shinde on phone. He sipped water on the seventh day of his hunger strike at the request of erstwhile Kolhapur royal scion Shahu Maharaj.
Referring to his 24-minute telephone chat with the CM, Jarange outlined the broad thrust of their discussions.
“I have clearly told him we will not accept reservations in accordance with previous records of Kunbi. Our demand is that a special session of the state legislature be called and the decision to issue Kunbi certificates to all members of the Maratha community from across the state be taken. The state government can easily amend the government resolution issued in 2004 and recognise all Marathas as Kunbis (farmers) and all Kunbis as Marathas,” Jarange said.
The community will not accept any partial reservations if the government so intends. “The GR being passed is not acceptable to us. If the state continues with its stand, there will be consequences,” Jarange said.
According to the activist, documents from the Nizam era and over 11,000 records of Kunbi ferreted out by a panel earlier – the Justice Sandeep Shinde committee – are sufficient to legally fulfil the quota demand. “About 60% to 65% Marathas are already under reservation. There is a misconception that five crore Marathas are going to enter the OBC category. I have urged the CM to clear the misconception,” Jarange said.
On a section of Marathas not supporting demand for recognising everyone as Kunbi, Jarange said they were free to opt out while arguing that the poor in the community need reservations.
Jarange pointed out that the caste system had been designed on basis of vocation. “The Maratha community’s profession has been farming. The reservation given to Kunbi is based on it. With the same logic, the entire Maratha community needs to be given reservation. The government committee has more than enough evidence to give us reservation. In fact, it can be done even if a single piece of proof is there,” Jarange said.
Royal scion Shahu Maharaj backed Jarange while urging members of the community to abstain from violence and suicides, of which there were instances in the past few days of protests.
Jarange said: “I believe since I have had water, Maratha community members have stopped indulging in violence. Nevertheless, I still request people to abstain from aggression and suicides.”
“None of the decisions taken by the government on Tuesday are acceptable to us.The state should abstain from distributing Kunbi certificates. If the government fails to take a decision till Wednesday evening, I will quit water again,”Jarange said after speaking to CM Eknath Shinde on phone. He sipped water on the seventh day of his hunger strike at the request of erstwhile Kolhapur royal scion Shahu Maharaj.
Referring to his 24-minute telephone chat with the CM, Jarange outlined the broad thrust of their discussions.
“I have clearly told him we will not accept reservations in accordance with previous records of Kunbi. Our demand is that a special session of the state legislature be called and the decision to issue Kunbi certificates to all members of the Maratha community from across the state be taken. The state government can easily amend the government resolution issued in 2004 and recognise all Marathas as Kunbis (farmers) and all Kunbis as Marathas,” Jarange said.
The community will not accept any partial reservations if the government so intends. “The GR being passed is not acceptable to us. If the state continues with its stand, there will be consequences,” Jarange said.
According to the activist, documents from the Nizam era and over 11,000 records of Kunbi ferreted out by a panel earlier – the Justice Sandeep Shinde committee – are sufficient to legally fulfil the quota demand. “About 60% to 65% Marathas are already under reservation. There is a misconception that five crore Marathas are going to enter the OBC category. I have urged the CM to clear the misconception,” Jarange said.
On a section of Marathas not supporting demand for recognising everyone as Kunbi, Jarange said they were free to opt out while arguing that the poor in the community need reservations.
Jarange pointed out that the caste system had been designed on basis of vocation. “The Maratha community’s profession has been farming. The reservation given to Kunbi is based on it. With the same logic, the entire Maratha community needs to be given reservation. The government committee has more than enough evidence to give us reservation. In fact, it can be done even if a single piece of proof is there,” Jarange said.
Royal scion Shahu Maharaj backed Jarange while urging members of the community to abstain from violence and suicides, of which there were instances in the past few days of protests.
Jarange said: “I believe since I have had water, Maratha community members have stopped indulging in violence. Nevertheless, I still request people to abstain from aggression and suicides.”
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