Latur activist Manoj Jarange on Tuesday accused Maharashtra cabinet minister Chhagan Bhujbal of falling into the caste system and alleged that he was trying to create a rift and potentially trigger unrest between the Maratha and OBC communities in the state.
At a rally in Latur in central Maharashtra, he also attacked Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who holds the Home Affairs portfolio, over police action against Maratha quota protesters in Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district. in August-September of last year.
Jarange strongly refuted allegations that he was indulging in "casteism", and maintained that if his opponents prove these allegations, he will not show his face before members of the Maratha community. The 41-year-old activist, who led the agitation demanding reservation for the Maratha community in the OBC category, pointed his guns at Bhujbal, a prominent Other Backward Classes leader, in his third rally in the Marathwada region in recent days.
He alleged that Bhujbal was trying to create a divide and potentially trigger unrest between the Maratha and OBC communities.
It may be noted that OBC leaders in the state are separately campaigning to safeguard the 27 per cent quota given to members of their community in government jobs and education. "Bhujbal organized a rally in Ambad (Jalna district) gathering to all OBC leaders after Fadnavis told him to do so. This demonstration took place when the agitation of the Maratha community (over quota) was going on peacefully. Now, isn't it casteism? "He sought to know.
"Last night, Bhujbal told OBC leaders to hold a rally at Antarwali Sarati. It was an effort to create unrest in Antarwali. But nothing happened," Jarange said and accused the cabinet minister of falling into the caste system.
The activist criticized the Shiv Sena-BJP-NCP government over the Maratha quota issue and accused it of dragging its feet in implementing the draft notification on 'sage soyare' (those related by birth or marriage) that would allow issuance of Kunbi certificates. to all Marathas.Kunbi, an agrarian community, falls in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, and Jarange, who is spearheading the agitation on the reservation issue, has been demanding Kunbi certificates for all Marathas, making them eligible for reservation benefits in education and government jobs.
"It was decided that caste certificates would be issued to those (Marathas) who had evidence of (originally being) Kunbis. The relatives of that person would also get the benefit of reservation (under OBC category) based on the same evidence. Now, They (The government) say that the 'sage soyare' issue will not stand up to the scrutiny of the courts.
"(BJP leader) Girish Mahajan has served as a minister 3-4 times, but he doesn't remember that there are 1.30 lakh Kunbi Marathas in Jamner (Mahajan's assembly constituency). There we can teach him a lesson," Jarange said. Last month, state cabinet minister Mahajan said the activist's demand to include the term "sage soyare" in the Maratha reservation notification will not pass legal scrutiny.
Rejecting accusations that he was indulging in 'casteism', Jarange emphasized, "If the Maratha community proves that I do casteism, then I will come down from this stage and never show my face again. I am only speaking the truth, which is unbearable for some." people". ".
Jarange slammed Fadnavis without mentioning his name and said police officers who ordered action against Maratha quota protesters last year in Jalna district were given promotions instead of facing disciplinary proceedings. "You have power and so do they receive votes from the Maratha community. Who opened fire and threw smoke bombs at the elders of the Maratha community in Antarwali Sarati? Although these people belong to the state, they were hit by bullets that caused injuries to This was unfair for them. Was this the caste system? he asked angrily.
Jarange was referring to the stir in favor of Maratha quotas in Antarwali Sarati village in August-September last year. The police had used batons and fired tear gas to disperse a violent mob at Antarwali Sarathi, where protesters, led by Jarange, were on hunger strike demanding reservation for Marathas. Villagers then claimed that police fired some bullets into the air, but officials denied this.
"Instead of taking action against these police officers, they gave them promotions. We will teach these police officers a lesson after we overthrow their government (in the upcoming assembly elections)," he warned. Jarange said a decision will be taken on the presentation of candidates in the 288 assembly constituencies in Maharashtra, where elections will be held in October, after consulting members of the Maratha community.
This was the third rally by quota activists in recent days in the Marathwada region after addressing a gathering in Hingoli and Nanded. Jarange said the ongoing protests are part of the first phase of the latest round of the quota movement. quotas and that there will be five such phases.
At a rally in Latur in central Maharashtra, he also attacked Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who holds the Home Affairs portfolio, over police action against Maratha quota protesters in Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district. in August-September of last year.
Jarange strongly refuted allegations that he was indulging in "casteism", and maintained that if his opponents prove these allegations, he will not show his face before members of the Maratha community. The 41-year-old activist, who led the agitation demanding reservation for the Maratha community in the OBC category, pointed his guns at Bhujbal, a prominent Other Backward Classes leader, in his third rally in the Marathwada region in recent days.
He alleged that Bhujbal was trying to create a divide and potentially trigger unrest between the Maratha and OBC communities.
It may be noted that OBC leaders in the state are separately campaigning to safeguard the 27 per cent quota given to members of their community in government jobs and education. "Bhujbal organized a rally in Ambad (Jalna district) gathering to all OBC leaders after Fadnavis told him to do so. This demonstration took place when the agitation of the Maratha community (over quota) was going on peacefully. Now, isn't it casteism? "He sought to know.
"Last night, Bhujbal told OBC leaders to hold a rally at Antarwali Sarati. It was an effort to create unrest in Antarwali. But nothing happened," Jarange said and accused the cabinet minister of falling into the caste system.
The activist criticized the Shiv Sena-BJP-NCP government over the Maratha quota issue and accused it of dragging its feet in implementing the draft notification on 'sage soyare' (those related by birth or marriage) that would allow issuance of Kunbi certificates. to all Marathas.Kunbi, an agrarian community, falls in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, and Jarange, who is spearheading the agitation on the reservation issue, has been demanding Kunbi certificates for all Marathas, making them eligible for reservation benefits in education and government jobs.
"It was decided that caste certificates would be issued to those (Marathas) who had evidence of (originally being) Kunbis. The relatives of that person would also get the benefit of reservation (under OBC category) based on the same evidence. Now, They (The government) say that the 'sage soyare' issue will not stand up to the scrutiny of the courts.
"(BJP leader) Girish Mahajan has served as a minister 3-4 times, but he doesn't remember that there are 1.30 lakh Kunbi Marathas in Jamner (Mahajan's assembly constituency). There we can teach him a lesson," Jarange said. Last month, state cabinet minister Mahajan said the activist's demand to include the term "sage soyare" in the Maratha reservation notification will not pass legal scrutiny.
Rejecting accusations that he was indulging in 'casteism', Jarange emphasized, "If the Maratha community proves that I do casteism, then I will come down from this stage and never show my face again. I am only speaking the truth, which is unbearable for some." people". ".
Jarange slammed Fadnavis without mentioning his name and said police officers who ordered action against Maratha quota protesters last year in Jalna district were given promotions instead of facing disciplinary proceedings. "You have power and so do they receive votes from the Maratha community. Who opened fire and threw smoke bombs at the elders of the Maratha community in Antarwali Sarati? Although these people belong to the state, they were hit by bullets that caused injuries to This was unfair for them. Was this the caste system? he asked angrily.
Jarange was referring to the stir in favor of Maratha quotas in Antarwali Sarati village in August-September last year. The police had used batons and fired tear gas to disperse a violent mob at Antarwali Sarathi, where protesters, led by Jarange, were on hunger strike demanding reservation for Marathas. Villagers then claimed that police fired some bullets into the air, but officials denied this.
"Instead of taking action against these police officers, they gave them promotions. We will teach these police officers a lesson after we overthrow their government (in the upcoming assembly elections)," he warned. Jarange said a decision will be taken on the presentation of candidates in the 288 assembly constituencies in Maharashtra, where elections will be held in October, after consulting members of the Maratha community.
This was the third rally by quota activists in recent days in the Marathwada region after addressing a gathering in Hingoli and Nanded. Jarange said the ongoing protests are part of the first phase of the latest round of the quota movement. quotas and that there will be five such phases.
