'3 cr Marathas will participate': Jarange-Patil announces 'unprecedented' Mumbai protest

Mumbai: As the focus of the Maratha reservation campaign gradually shifts towards Mumbai and New Delhi, the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP government in Maharashtra reiterated on Sunday its commitment to providing reservation to the community, with work underway on multiple fronts.

Maratha reservation campaigner Manoj Jarange-Patil, currently camping in Antarwali Sarathi village in Ambad tehsil in Jalna district, stated that the Mumbai leg of the agitation would be unprecedented.

Jarange-Patil’s remarks come a day after his Beed rally in which he announced that he would commence his third hunger strike on 20 January 2024.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Jarange-Patil stated that people from across the state would converge in Mumbai on 20 January, making it the largest agitation in the financial capital. According to him, three crore Marathas will participate in the agitation in Mumbai.

"I am open to discussions before that... once I leave (Antarwali Sarathi) on 20 January... the only thing thereafter is agitation... I will once again start a fast-unto-death," Jarange-Patil declared.

It's worth noting that Jarange-Patil had previously announced that he would not extend the deadline beyond December 24, 2024. However, he surprisingly announced a new date for commencing the third hunger strike.

The Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis-Ajit Pawar government reiterated on Sunday its commitment to providing reservation to the Marathas. They clarified that their intention is evident as a special session of the Maharashtra legislature has been scheduled in Mumbai in February 2024.

Shinde and Fadnavis reiterated that the Maharashtra Commission for Backward Classes is diligently working and will submit its report. Shinde stated, "We will establish the social and economic backwardness of the Maratha community in Maharashtra."

In a related development, Shinde informed that the Supreme Court has admitted the curative petition filed by the Maharashtra government and listed it for hearing on January 24, 2024. He added, "This is a significant opportunity that we have obtained."

It's worth mentioning that the Supreme Court had quashed the reservation for the Maratha community on May 5, 2021, and subsequently, a review petition filed by the state government was also dismissed on April 21, 2023. The state and Vinod Patil, an activist from the Maratha community, filed curative petitions independently.

Jarange-Patil initiated the first hunger strike from August 29 to September 14, 2023, which he ended after receiving assurances from Shinde regarding the issuance of Kunbi caste certificates to Marathas in the Marathwada region and exploring options for providing blanket reservation to the community.

Subsequently, from October 25, he embarked on another hunger strike, concluding it on November 2 after nine days. The government delegation met him and convinced him of the progress being made on the issues.