By Sidhima Choudhary
The Maratha reservation quota protest entered its fourth day of agitation in Mumbai on Monday. Over 35,000 thousand protesters gathered across South Mumbai. Activist Manoj Jarange Patil escalated the strike by giving up water and going on a hunger strike. The Maharashtra cabinet sub-committee is yet to make any progress regarding the matter even after many meetings.
The protest caused severe traffic and bus disruptions near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Mumbai. The schools and colleges around the area have been converted to online modes. CM Devendra Fadnavis mentioned the government is working towards resolving the issue within constitutional limits.
The areas most affected includes diversions with Marine Drive, DN Road and P D’Mello Road. Considering the crowd, the security forces have been tightened with Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police personnels deployed.
Jarange refuses to budge, demanding a Grade based reservation (GR-based) according to the available records of the Maratha community. “The government should consider Marathas as a sub-caste of Kunbis based on 58 lakh records showing the proof of this linkage. The people who want the reservation will take it,” added Jarange.
To seek solutions, on Sunday, the state government stated that it will take a legal opinion on implementing the Hyderabad gazette on Kunbi status. His demands include the state government to issue a government resolution claiming Maratha people of Marathwada region as Kunbis.
He also demanded all Marathas to be issued a ‘Kunbi certificate’ and to be listed under the Satara and Hyderabad gazette to get the OBC quota, further followed by Aundh and Bombay gazette. Jarange did not agree to the decision and further vowed to stop drinking water.
Amidst the protest, the protestors further blocked the NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule’s car raising slogans against the patriarch of the pawar family, Sharad Pawar, after she met Jarange. The High Court asked the Maharashtra government about their plans to tackle the situation whereas the court gave Jarange a rectification chance to calm the situation, ensuring the Mumbai streets are vacated by Tuesday.