Maharashtra: Govt trying to fool Marathas, but we won't fall into any trap, says Manoj Jarange

Manoj Jarange. File Pic

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Thursday accused the Maharashtra government of trying to fool the Marathas, but asserted that his community would not fall into any trap, reported the PTI.

Manoj Jarange also said that he and the members of the Maratha community would embark on their protest march to Mumbai on January 20 as decided earlier since no way out has been found by the government so far on the reservation issue.

He reiterated that the government should issue Kunbi caste certificates to 54 lakh Marathas immediately.

"The government comes to us just 2-3 days before every agitation. They are trying to trap and fool the Maratha community. But the Marathas will not fall into any trap and we will go to Mumbai on January 20 as decided earlier since no way out has been found as of now," he told reporters, as per the PTI.

"We will go to Mumbai with the Maratha community members to press for our quota demand," he said.

The government and some ministers of trying to hatch a conspiracy against the Maratha agitation, Manoj Jarange alleged.

"Every time, just a couple of days before the agitation is to start, the government reaches out to us offering some solution. But what do they do during the period given to them? Same talks have been going on for the last seven months. This time, the government and some ministers are trying to hatch a conspiracy against the agitation. But Marathas won't let it happen," he said, according to the PTI.

The news agency reported, Manoj Jarange demanded that the government give Kunbi caste certificates to Marathas based on the evidence in the next two days, which should also be given to the relatives of these beneficiaries.

"If they do it in the next two days, we will go to Mumbai to congratulate the government," he added.

He warned the government saying it should avoid what it did in Antarwali Sarati, his native village in Jalna district.

Violence had broken out at Antarwali Sarati on September 1 last year after protesters allegedly refused to let authorities shift Jarange, who was on a hunger strike for the Maratha quota demand, to a hospital. The police baton-charged and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse a violent mob. Several persons, including 40 police personnel, were injured and more than 15 state transport buses set ablaze in the violence.

Manoj Jarange said, "If reservation is not given, the agitation will be made nationwide. People from Madhya Pradesh and other states are saying they want to take part in the agitation on 20 January," as per the news agency.

The government claims that the documentary proof of Marathas being Kunbis was not found on a large scale, he said.

"So what are the officials and the government doing?...Why do we need such officials?" he asked.

Meanwhile, a special drive to hand over the Kunbi caste certificates has been undertaken in 15 villages of Latur district in Maharashtra, where the evidence was found, an official said.

"The drive is being implemented in the villages where the evidence is found. We have made available the list of documents they have to submit to obtain the certificates," an official of Latur district administration told reporters.

(with PTI inputs)