Maratha quota activist Jarange begins hunger strike
What's the story
Quota activist Manoj Jarange has begun an indefinite hunger strike at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, news agency PTI reported. He alleges that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis harbors a "grudge" against the Maratha community and accuses Deputy CM Eknath Shinde of tacitly supporting this bias. The protest was launched at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district.
Protest demands
Jarange threatens to march to Mumbai
During his protest, Jarange demanded the abolition of the caste verification committee.
He threatened to march to Fadnavis's official residence in Mumbai if their demands are not met.
"Devendra Fadnavis holds a grudge against the Maratha community," he reportedly said.
"If they don't resolve our issues, we will go to Varsha Bungalow."
Bias allegations
Jarange accuses government of bias against Marathas
Jarange has been leading protests demanding recognition for eligible Marathas as Kunbis, an agrarian community with reservation benefits under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category.
He alleged that the state government is biased against Maratha youth.
"This government does not want the Maratha community to grow," he was quoted as saying, adding that certificate issuance is controlled by officials jealous of their progress.
Verification criticism
Activist demands uniformity in verification process
The activist also slammed the caste verification process, claiming authorities were rejecting valid claims.
He demanded uniformity in law enforcement across states, questioning why Maharashtra needs a separate verification committee when other states have Tehsildars and Sub-Divisional Magistrates with authority.
"The government is trying to deny us certificates by rejecting documentary evidence even when it matches," he reportedly said.