Jalna: Activist Manoj Jarange Patil on Saturday launched a fresh fast unto death at Antarwali Sarati to press for Maratha reservation, declaring that the community’s three-year struggle is now on the “verge of victory.” He appealed to members of the Maratha community across Maharashtra to step out of their homes, gather at the protest site, and stand united for the cause.
This marks Jarange Patil’s 11th hunger strike. He has reiterated his demand for the issuance of Kunbi certificates to all based on the 58 lakh recorded entries and the approval of certificates previously rejected during caste verification.
Emphasising independence and community solidarity, Jarange Patil remarked, “We have no party, no leader; our caste is our only identity. Marathas must stop relying on the government.”
Calling this the final fight for the rights of future generations, he urged the community not to remain passive, warning that any complacency at this stage could lead to betrayal.
Jarange Patil has demanded immediate distribution of Kunbi caste certificates based on the 58 lakh historical records identified by the Shinde Committee, issuance of caste validity certificates alongside the Kunbi certificates and clarification on the operational framework for issuing validity under the Hyderabad Gazetteer, abolition of the state’s Caste Verification Committees, questioning why such committees exist in Maharashtra when they are not present elsewhere in the country and immediate implementation of Government Orders (GRs) concerning the Satara and Kolhapur princely state records to grant OBC benefits to the Maratha community.
Further, he has demanded unconditional withdrawal of all police cases registered against Maratha protesters across Maharashtra and government jobs and support for the families of individuals who sacrificed their lives during the reservation movement.
Jarange Patil stressed that the agitation would not stop until all demands are fully met by the Mahayuti government led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
He also urged affluent and influential leaders within the Maratha community to step forward and support the poorer sections during this critical phase of the movement.
Meanwhile, Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil arrived in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar anticipating the need for discussions during the strike.
Jarange Patil claims this protest represents the final phase of their struggle. Prior to the hunger strike, Minister Vikhe Patil held a meeting with local officials and claimed that only 0.3 per cent of entries have been rejected, assuring that certificates are being granted to all eligible applicants.
However, rejecting all government claims, Jarange Patil announced that he would proceed with his hunger strike starting Saturday.
“Those who believe they have valid records and possess all required documents as per the government regulations should immediately submit their applications to their respective District Collectors within the next eight days. We will take swift action on them,” stated Vikhe Patil.
Addressing Jarange Patil’s objections regarding two to four specific certificates, Minister Vikhe Patil added that he has requested the Caste Verification Committee to reconsider those cases, while noting that some individuals have approached the High Court, making it a sub-judice matter.
In response to Jarange Patil’s frequent references to the 58 lakh recorded entries, the government provided him with official figures showing that out of 1,431,634 applications received up to August 24, a total of 1,424,634 individuals have already been issued Kunbi certificates. The government claims that only 1,747 applications remain pending across the state, while 5,248 applications have been rejected.
Despite these figures, Jarange maintains his insistence that every individual among the 58 lakh records must be issued a certificate. Officials, however, state that new applications are not being submitted at that scale.
To express solidarity with Jarange Patil’s protest, a meeting of the Maratha community decided to organise a rally of 1,000 autorickshaws from Dharashiv district on Saturday.
Thousands of activists from various parts of the district are expected to join the rally and head toward Antarwali Sarati. With a massive number of rickshaws travelling simultaneously, authorities anticipate potential traffic congestion in and around the Antarwali Sarati area in Jalna district.
(IANS)
