Manoj Jarange Patil Voices Concerns: Maratha Community Seeks Concrete Action on Reservation
Jalna, 20th February 2024: Regarding the Maratha reservation issue, the Maharashtra Government has introduced a 10% Maratha reservation bill during a special session. This bill is expected to be approved after thorough discussions in both houses, with only a few hours remaining for the decision. However, Manoj Jarange Patil expressed scepticism, stating, “If you intend to provide reservation, go ahead, but this reservation may not endure. The government has deceived us. The government should enact the Blood Relatives Ordinance and grant reservation exclusively to the Maratha community within the OBC category,”
Manoj Jarange Patil engaged with the media ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly’s Special Session. During this interaction, he expressed profound frustration with the government’s administration, emphasizing that reservation from a separate category was not their original demand. He insisted that the government should implement the blood relatives notification. If the government fails to do so, Manoj Jarange Patil warned that the Maratha community would again stage protests. He cautioned the government against disregarding the growing discontent within the Maratha community.
There are concerns that the upcoming reservation provided by the government may not endure. Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission has concluded its work and submitted its report, which the government has accepted. Despite this, doubts persist about the longevity of the proposed reservation. The question is raised as to why previous reservation instances did not last, and there is a prevailing scepticism that the same fate may befall the current reservation. There is an urgent demand for the government to solidify the reservation by enacting it into law and implementing the notification issued by the government.
Thousands of Kunbi records have been discovered in Maharashtra. Consequently, there is a demand for the Maratha reservation to be incorporated within the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. To achieve this, it is urged that the government promptly implement the notification. Manoj Jarange Patil has requested Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) from the Maratha community and Maratha Ministers in the Maharashtra government to actively address the issue of blood relatives during the session and discuss its effective implementation. He warned that failure to do so would be perceived as being anti-Maratha. If the government neglects the discussion on the Blood Relatives Ordinance, a substantial and peaceful agitation will be announced, according to Manoj Jarange Patil.
The demand is for reservations within the 50% quota from Other Backward Classes (OBC) and the issuance of certificates to individuals whose entries have been received. For those whose records have not been received, the next of kin should be notified, and the process should be implemented. It is emphasized that during the convention, the discussion on the notification of blood relatives should not be omitted. Merely presenting an alternative proposal when the demand is for reservation from OBC alone is deemed unacceptable. There is a clear call for the implementation of reservation by blood relatives; otherwise, it is asserted that the direction of the agitation will be determined promptly.
Accusations of fraud are being made, questioning how the government introduced a notification but is not proceeding with its implementation. The frustration is evident, with the government being challenged on why it brought the notification if it has no intention of implementing it. The sentiment among the Maratha community is clear – this is not their demand. Manoj Jarange Patil has issued a warning that if the government does not discuss the notification and announce its implementation during this special session, the direction of their movement will be decided from the following day, and they will not back down under any circumstances.
When asked about the possibility of the Maratha community receiving the separate reservation, Jarange Patil expressed scepticism, indicating that only a few individuals were pushing for it, potentially causing hardships for the broader Maratha population. He emphasized that if the reservation does not materialize, the community’s youth will continue to face challenges, hindering their progress in obtaining officer positions.
