Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Thursday warned the Maharashtra government that its failure to implement the Satara Gazette within the promised deadline would have “consequences.”
He demanded that the state form cabinet sub-committees for Dalits, Muslims, farmers, tribals, and others, similar to the one created for the OBC community. “If the government fails to act, I will be forced to hit the streets again,” Jarange told reporters from a private hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
The activist accused some leaders and experts of repeatedly misleading the Maratha community on the issue of reservation. “We don’t trust anyone else. The Maratha community will not fall into any trap. I will bring the entire community in Marathwada under reservation. People will see this in just a few days,” he said.
Jarange reiterated his determination to secure OBC status for Marathas. Reacting to the government’s decision to replace senior minister Chhagan Bhujbal with BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule as the head of the OBC sub-committee, he said, “It does not concern me who is appointed. My only issue is reservation.”
Earlier, the state government had accepted six of Jarange’s eight demands and issued a government resolution (GR), leading him to withdraw his protest at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan. But the GR sparked anger among OBC leaders, who threatened legal action. In response, the state announced the formation of a sub-committee to address their concerns.
