Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange.
Credit: PTI Photo
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil on Saturday commenced his final battle as he left his village for the financial capital of Mumbai to assert his demands for reservations for the Maratha community.
Over the last six months, Jarange-Patil, founder of Shivba Sanghatana, has emerged as the face of the campaign.
“I am ready to give up my life for Marathas,” Jarange-Patil said. He added that the community would ensure that they get reservation in education and jobs, which is due for the last seventy years.
“Even if they shoot, we prefer to die rather than withdraw the agitation. We are at a point where we will not return without reservation,” he said.
“This village has given me all help, love and admiration. And suddenly I am going away from the village,” he said.
Amid slogans of ‘Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji’ and waving of saffron flags, Jarange-Patil left Antarwali Sarathi in Jalna and is expected to reach Mumbai on January 26 coinciding with the Republic Day.
The repeated agitation by Jarange-Patil has rattled the Maharashtra government.
As his cavalcade proceeded, he was given a rousing welcome and in many places people were seen getting emotional.
Wherever Jarange-Patil stopped, he urged people to come in large numbers to Mumbai.
State Excise Minister Shambhuraj Desai claimed that the quota issue is about 70-85 per cent solved and asked Jarange-Patil not to hold Mumbai to ransom.
It is not yet clearly known where Jarange-Patil would camp - Azad Maidan or MMRDA Grounds in Bandra-Kurla Complex.