Maratha reservation stir: Jarange Patil casts aspersions on Modi’s intent in granting quota

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil criticizes PM Modi and Maharashtra govt. over reservation issue. He claims PM's silence indicates he no longer needs the poorer sections of the Maratha community. Activists in Maharashtra are intensifying their agitation, with several villages banning entry of politicians and effigy burning. All parties have agreed on the need for reservation, yet protests continue.

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil on Friday took aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the State government over the reservation issue, remarking that the PM’s silence over the quota matter indicated he no longer had any need for the poorer sections of the Maratha community.

Mr. Jarange Patil, whose indefinite hunger strike in Jalna’s Antarwali Sarati village entered its third day, further accused the CM and his Deputies (Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar) of “conspiring” to ensure that the Maratha community youth were deliberately kept economically backward.  

Alluding to the PM’s omission to mention the Maratha quota issue during his speech in Shirdi on Thursday, Mr. Jarange Patil said, “There is strong suspicion whether the CM and the Deputy CM told the PM about the Maratha reservation matter during their visit to Delhi [Mr. Fadnavis and Mr. Shinde had gone to the capital this week]. Either they did not brief the PM, or if they did so, then Mr. Modi deliberately avoided mentioning the issue when he visited Shirdi yesterday. This is the message that has gone out to the Maratha community.”

The public of Maharashtra are now inferring that the PM, along with the Maharashtra government, has no need for poor Marathas, the activist said.

On Thursday, PM Modi had inaugurated a raft of development projects in Ahmednagar district while addressing a farmers’ rally in Shirdi. While the PM took potshots at NCP chief Sharad Pawar and touched upon several issues, he did not mention the Maratha quota matter at all.

Mr. Jarange Patil further said that his community had great expectations from the PM as well as CM Shinde and Mr. Fadnavis.

“We eagerly hoped the PM would straighten out obstacles to Maratha reservation. However, this has not been the case. We bear no ill-will towards him. Had the Maratha community borne any ill-will, they would not have permitted the PM’s plane to land in Shirdi,” said the activist.