Maharashtra Assembly Polls 2024: DH Interview | Those who oppose Maratha reservation will face the music: Manoj Jarange-Patil
Now that you have declared that your people, the Maratha community, will contest elections. What is the response?
Let me tell you, the response has been good. The work has already started. Several people have shown interest. We will look at their work, their interests, their character and choose proper candidates.
What is the key agenda? You want to win elections or defeat others.
It would work both ways. I am personally not contesting the elections. But the Marathas as a community would contest the elections. We will contest the elections seriously. We would defeat those who have worked against us. If that is not possible, we will ensure their defeat. We are not contesting all the seats. We have already said that we would not be fielding candidates in reserved constituencies for SCs and STs. In the rest of the constituencies, we will contest depending on the situation. In some places we would support candidates. We are confident of winning some seats.
Why are you against BJP’s Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis?
Fadnavis is now the Deputy Chief Minister. Before that he had been the Chief Minister. As far as Maha Yuti is concerned, we all know that he has created this government and he is running the government (with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and NCP’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar). He is stalling the reservation to the Maratha community. The government is giving what we are not asking. Cases have been filed against the protestors and a Special Investigation Team has been formed. In Lok Sabha polls, the BJP has suffered a jolt in Maharashtra and still they are ignoring us.
You have often been criticised by minister Chhagan Bhujbal, who is a veteran OBC leader
He is trying to stall the reservation to Marathas under the OBC Kunbi category. He wins the elections from Maratha votes but works against the Maratha community.
BJP MP and former Chief Minister Narayan Rane says that “proud Marathas” wont take reservations of OBCs
Who has asked him to take reservation benefits. He may not need it. There are many many others who want it and who need it.
You have often been accused of escalating the demand over 14 months.
We are asking for reservations as Kunbi-Marathas and Maratha-Kunbis. The records in Hyderabad gazetteer show Marathas as Kunbis during the Nizam rule. The Bombay Gazette and and Satara Sansthan records too show that. Since, you are exceeding the Supreme Court cap, the reservation would stand in court. What we are saying is that - give reservations as it should be to us. To be specific as OBCs in Kunbi category. As regards, sage soyare (a Marathi term for ‘relatives from the family tree), the Chief Minister issued a draft notification. What about its implementation? Somewhere we feel let down, cheated.
Is caste survey a solution as the Congress and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is demanding?
Will they do it? Do they have the intention of doing it? That is the key question. Besides, another important issue is that the Mandal Commission report is flawed in many aspects. We will ensure that Marathas get reservation and I mean it. This is my assurance. It is our right.
Assembly Elections 2024 | The Maharashtra Assembly polls will take place against the backdrop of a fractured political landscape in the western state where the Shiv Sena and NCP will be going up against the Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar factions, even as the BJP and Congress try to make their mark. Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, the JMM faces a new challenge after Hemant Soren's recent arrest and Champai, a longstanding party member, joining the BJP. The Haryana election resulted in a shock loss for Congress, which was looking to galvanize on the Lok Sabha poll performance, while J&K also saw the grand old party eventually stepping away from the cabinet, with Omar Abdullah's JKNC forming government. It remains to be seen if the upcoming polls help BJP cement its position further or provide a fillip to I.N.D.I.A. Check live updates and track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.
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