Maratha Quota Protest: Patil To Continue His Fast As Political Parties Urge Cooperation; Maharashtra CM Seeks Time

The Maratha reservation movement in Maharashtra has reached a critical juncture as activist Manoj Jarange Patil has decided to continue his indefinite fast, rejecting appeals from all political parties to end his protest.

Patil has been fasting since 25 October in Jalna and has intensified his demonstration, stating,

"The government says they want time. They should tell us how much time it wants and also tell us what the problem is in giving reservation to the Maratha community... They should tell what they are going to do in detail," Patil was quoted as saying by Livemint.

This comes as Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who chaired an all-party meeting in Mumbai on Wednesday, told reporters that Patil has been requested to end his fast and cooperate with the government, as more time is needed to work on the legal modalities for providing the reservation.

"The state government is making honest efforts so that the Maratha community gets reservation benefits. The backward class commission is working on a war footing," Shinde said.

He added that the government is currently preparing an error-free report for the Supreme Court as part of the curative petition, and is also issuing Kunbi caste certificates to Marathas in Marathwada, which would qualify them for OBC reservation.

Meanwhile, the protest has led to widespread disruptions across the state.

In Pune, solidarity was shown by labor unions and traders with a bandh, while the Nashik district's Sakal Maratha Samaj (SMS) declared the intention to observe a "black Diwali."

However, the movement has taken a distinctly political turn with Patil's pointed criticism of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis after he vowed to invoke attempt to murder charges on the protesters indulging in violence and arson following targeting of houses and offices of MLAs.

Patil has accused Fadnavis of orchestrating violence and has demanded his resignation, saying, "Fadnavis has a habit of creating mischief… making one community fight another. Do you think we will be intimidated? It is because of leaders like him that the BJP has seen a setback in other states, and will see one in Maharashtra too."

The BJP has responded to these accusations by highlighting Fadnavis's contributions to the Maratha quota cause.

Cautioning Jarange-Patil “not to bring in politics”, BJP leader Ajit Chavan, a Maratha, said, “The uniqueness of the Maratha reservation movement was that it was mass-driven. But when you target a specific leader and party, it is bound to raise question marks… It is our ardent appeal to Jarange Patil not to become a puppet in the hands of political masters who want to exploit the movement to their advantage".

A BJP functionary was quoted as saying by Indian Express, "First time in the history of the state, a Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission was constituted, under him. As per the panel’s recommendations, the Marathas were given 12 per cent and 13 per cent reservation in jobs and education, respectively."

BJP leaders have rallied behind Fadnavis, with Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule asserting, "Fadnavis remains the unchallenged leader of the party. Thousands and lakhs of karyakartas are inspired by his unwavering commitment and credibility."

The political implications of the protest are evident, with BJP MLA Nitish Rane suggesting that Patil is being manipulated, stating, "It is crystal clear that Jarange-Patil’s script writer is someone else. Otherwise, why would he deviate from reservation agenda to politics?"