Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Thursday issued a sharp warning to Maharashtra’s ruling parties, saying that if the community is betrayed over reservation, they will “make them bite the dust” in the elections. He also reiterated that his agitation is aimed at securing OBC category inclusion for the entire Maratha community.
Jarange was speaking to reporters from a private hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, where he has been recovering after calling off his five-day hunger strike in Mumbai. He ended the fast on Tuesday after the state government announced the formation of a committee to provide Kunbi caste certificates to Marathas who can show historical proof of Kunbi lineage — a group already recognised under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.
“If the Hyderabad and Satara gazettes are not implemented within a month, we will ensure the ruling parties are defeated in the upcoming polls. Step by step, I will work to include all Marathas under the OBC category,” Jarange declared.
He stressed that his struggle covers Marathas across Maharashtra, adding that the agitation would continue until Marathas from the Konkan region are also brought under reservation benefits.
“People of Konkan must secure a reservation now, or they will regret it 40–50 years later. They must not put their future generations at risk,” he said.
On the state government’s decision to form a cabinet sub-committee to speed up welfare measures for OBCs, Jarange said he had no objection.
“If OBCs benefit, we are happy. But the government should also form similar sub-committees for Dalits, Muslims, tribals, and farmers,” he remarked.
The Maratha quota issue remains unsettled, with senior OBC leader and state minister Chhagan Bhujbal voicing open displeasure over the government resolution to expedite Kunbi caste certificates for Marathas. Bhujbal, who skipped a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, has indicated he may challenge the move in court.
