Activist Manoj Jarange hit out at the Maharashtra government on Friday by accusing it of withholding Kunbi certificates from Marathas despite finding 57 lakh supporting documents within the state and 5,000 more in Hyderabad, Telangana. Speaking at a public rally in Jalna, he vowed to continue his fight until the Maratha community gets reservations under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category and the implementation of the state government's 'sage soyare' notification.
The OBC leaders have opposed the notification and some other measures to facilitate quota benefits for the Maratha community. They claim that these actions will curtail the benefits of their segment.
"The state government has found 57 lakh documents in Maharashtra and 5,000 in Hyderabad that prove Marathas are Kunbis. Despite this, the government is making excuses and intentionally not granting reservation. The state government is conspiring to divide the community to undermine the Maratha movement," Jarange said, PTI reported.
He maintained his deadline of July 13 for the implementation of Maratha reservations and emphasised his unwavering commitment to achieving the objectives of the movements.
"The previous BJP and Congress governments granted 16 per cent quota to the Marathas and then reduced it to 13 per cent. The current government has given just 10 per cent. This will not stand legal scrutiny and that is why we are seeking reservation under the OBC category. The BJP and Congress are making false promises to the Maratha community," Jarange claimed, as quoted by PTI.
Manoj Jarange Lashes Out At BJP Leader Girish Mahajan, NCP's Chhagan Bhujbal
He also criticised BJP leader Girish Mahajan for dismissing the validity of the 'sage soyare' notification in court and accused NCP minister Chhagan Bhujbal of engaging in divisive caste politics. He also claimed that Bhujbal planned the incident in which stone pelting was done at OBC activists in Wadi Gododri, close to Antarwali Sarti, to incite conflict with the Marathas. Bhujbal has continuously denied these allegations.
Regarding Bhujbal, Jarange accused him of damaging both the Shiv Sena and NCP, questioning why the BJP continues to associate with him within the ruling alliance. He also iterated that his advocacy for reservations is not political and driven purely by the welfare and rights of the community.