Maharashtra government tries to dissuade Jarange-Patil from staging rally in Mumbai

Maharashtra government urged quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil to cancel his protest rally in Mumbai

While lauding the Supreme Court’s decision to hear a curative petition on Maratha reservation on January 24, the Maharashtra government on Sunday urged quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil to cancel his protest rally in Mumbai, scheduled for January 2024.

However, the activist refused to yield, warning the government that all doors for discussion would be shut after January 20, when he plans to hold a mega rally of the Maratha community in the State capital.

Speaking in Mumbai, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde thanked the Supreme Court for the chance to hear the curative petition on the Maratha reservation issue. 

“The State Backward Class Commission is doing its best to prove the social, economic and educational backwardness within the Maratha community. This empirical data will certainly hold us in good stead in the Supreme Court during the hearing,” Mr. Shinde said.

Also read: What has led to the Maratha quota agitation? | Explained

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told reporters that the State government was sincerely working to resolve the Maratha reservation impasse.

“The government has taken concrete measures towards finding a lasting solution to the issue. CM Eknath Shinde is closely monitoring the developments. The Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission (MSBCC) is expeditiously working to furnish empirical data and establish the backwardness of the Maratha community. The Justice Sandeep Shinde Committee is working on its third report and is looking at data from the Nizam era,” Mr. Fadnavis said.