Fresh headache for Mahayuti as Manoj Jarange-Patil’s Maratha quota battle reaches Mumbai

Manoj Jarange Patil received a rousing welcome from thousands of supporters, sporting saffron caps, scarves and flags, after he reached the protest venue

After nearly two years of constant agitation across Maharashtra, activist Manoj Jarange-Patil’s battle over quota agitation has now reached capital Mumbai ahead of the crucial municipal elections due to be held later this year.

“I will not go back until our demands are met. Even if I am shot dead, I will not retreat,” said Jarange in his address to his supporters. He said the government’s “lack of cooperation” had compelled the community to march to Mumbai. “Now that the government has allowed the protest, we must cooperate with the police and ensure that we do nothing that tarnishes the community’s image,” he said.

Thousands of office-goers faced inconvenience Friday morning as Maratha protesters headed to the Azad Maidan in south Mumbai to join the protest.

In the Lok Sabha elections, Patil’s call to Marathas to boycott the BJP was said to be one of the likely factors that led to the ruling party falling to nine seats out of the 28 it contested. This time though, the government appears to be treading more cautiously.

Patil will hold a rally in Azad Maidan demanding reservation benefits for the Maratha community from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. However, Patil has questioned the period of one day allowed to him for the protest and hoped that the Bombay High Court and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis would do justice.

Patil launched his agitation on August 29, 2023, in Antarwali Sarathi in Ambad tehsil of Jalna district. However, he never managed to camp in Mumbai. In January last year, when he led his first march to Mumbai, he stopped at Vashi following a request from the Maharashtra government.

What does the Fadnavis government say?

The Maharashtra BJP pushed back strongly against the activist with BJP leaders accusing Patil of making derogatory remarks about Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ mother, a charge Jarange has denied.

CM Fadnavis has also alleged that Jarange’s agitation is being exploited for political purposes. He reiterated that the state government has already granted a separate 10 per cent quota for the Maratha community and assured that the interests of 350 communities under the OBC category would also be safeguarded.

Fadnavis’ remarks came after two MPs from Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena — Sanjay Jadhav and Nagesh Patil Ashtikar — announced their participation in the protest.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said “some matters should remain confidential”, leaving the issue clouded in uncertainty. The Shiv Sena is learnt to have decided to keep away from the issue, leaving the BJP on sticky wicket.

What does the opposition say?

The Opposition has come out in support of Patil’s protest. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut stressed Mumbai’s identity as a Marathi stronghold and endorsed Patil’s right to demonstrate. He also urged Fadnavis to hold dialogue with Patil.

Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal, extending support to Maratha activists, said that the state government should be serious about the Maratha community's demands.

Who is Manoj Jarange-Patil?

Jarange-Patil, originally hailing from the neighboring Beed district, relocated to Shahgad in Jalna district following his marriage. About 15 years ago, he became deeply involved in the movement advocating for reservations for the Maratha community in government jobs and education. Over the years, he actively participated in several protests, demonstrating unwavering dedication to the cause. To sustain himself financially, he sold 2.5 acres of his four-acre agricultural land, according to reports.

What is his demand?

The activist undertook more than half a dozen hunger strikes over the years, especially after the Supreme Court struck down the Maratha quota in 2021. His key demand is to recognise all Marathas as Kunbis. They are a predominantly agrarian caste listed under the OBCs. Giving Marathas Kunbi caste certificates would mean that Marathas would be counted within the Kunbi community and given the OBC status. In that case, they would benefit from the reservation the OBC group gets.

However, the other OBC groups have opposed the inclusion of Marathas. While the Marathas make up 32% of the state’s population, OBCs comprise 52% and are fragmented into 382 castes in the state.

The Maharashtra government began issuing Kunbi caste certificates to eligible Maratha community members in 2023 during the Eknath Shinde regime.

Last week, Maharashtra administration said over two lakh Kunbi certificates have been issued in Marathwada region and there is zero pendency in several places.