"Issue Reservation On Maratha Quota On Available Records": Activist Jarange

Activist Manoj Jarange on Sunday asked the Devendra Fadnavis dispensation to issue a government resolution (GR) on Maratha reservations based on available records.

Addressing a press conference at Azad Maidan, where he has been on a hunger strike since Friday, Mr Jarange said, "We won't budge from the protest venue till demands are met even if the Fadnavis govt fires bullets at us".

Mr Jarange asserted that Marathas are a subcaste of Kunbis.

Kunbis are an agrarian caste that gets quota benefits under the Other Backwards Classes category.

"There are 58 lakh records that have been found, which show links of Marathas as Kunbis. Those who want a reservation will take it. Don't generalise Marathas as Kunbis if there is a legal issue," Mr Jarange said.

The Maharashtra government is indulging in time-wasting tactics on the Maratha quota issue, he alleged.

Attacking Fadnavis, whom he likened to a chameleon, Mr Jarange said the former had announced that the first decision he would take on becoming CM was to give quota to the Dhangar community.

"Did he do that? He said farm loans would be waived. Did he do that? If you don't give us a reservation, you will not win even a gram panchayat seat," Mr Jarange said.

Slamming the BJP-led Mahayuti government further, Mr Jarange claimed police were not allowing people to enter Mumbai (to support his stir).

"They (those allegedly being stopped) will return back but will ensure that your MPs and MLAs with their families will have to leave Maharashtra," he warned.

"No one can stop Marathas from getting reservations under the OBC quota," he said.

There will either be a victory procession or his funeral procession, Mr Jarange said.

Mr Jarange also asked his supporters, who have gathered at the site in the thousands from various parts of Maharashtra, to maintain peace and not indulge in hooliganism.

Referring to NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule being mobbed by slogan-shouting quota supporters in the afternoon when she came to visit him, as well as journalists being jeered, Mr Jarange said all those coming to the site must be treated with respect.

He also asked media persons to consider the fact that protesters hail from poor families from rural parts of the state.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)