Jarange Patil to hold morcha to Mumbai to demand Maratha reservation
Jarange Patil held a meeting with his followers at Dharashiv (Marathwada). Speaking to the media, he issued a stern warning to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to not interfere with their plans nor make any attempts to scuttle it.
'Don't meddle with our morcha. You have done it in the past and paid a heavy price,' he said. 'The Maratha community is fighting for its rights. I represent the poor and oppressed Marathas who are denied quotas. Any attempt on your part (Devendra Fadnavis) will invite backlash. And it's consequences will not only adversely impact the Maharashtra government, but also the Narendra Modi government.'
After the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly Elections, Jarange Patil has been quiet. The Maratha reservation was an important plank which went against the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls where the party won just nine seats and along with alliance partners Shiv Sena (7) and NCP (one), it's tally was restricted to just 17 seats out of 48. Whereas, the Maha Vikas Aghadi comprising Congress (14), Shiv Sena- UBT(9) and NCP (8) together made up for 31 seats.
However, the Maratha reservation factor did not make much of an impact in the Assembly polls held six months later in November 2024. As OBC consolidation along with other factors saw BJP emerge as the single largest party with 132 seats. With alliance partners Shiv Sena (57) and NCP (41) it's tally added to 230 seats out of 288. With an absolute majority, the Fadnavis-led Mahayuti is on a strong footing in the state.
Despite agitations and poll promises by the ruling and opposition parties over the years, Maratha reservation remains a sensitive issue which remains unresolved. During the Eknath Shinde-led government of 2022-2024, the state adopted a unanimous resolution in the state legislative assembly and council giving ten per cent reservation to Marathas in government educational institutions and jobs. The decision was rejected by Jarange Patil, who wanted Maratha reservation within the OBC quota. In Maharashtra, OBCs are entitled to 27 per cent quota. Along with other groups including Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes, OBCs, Special Backward Category, Nomadic Tribes, it makes up for a total 51 per cent.
Exactly, two years ago on August 29, 2023 Jarange Patil held demonstration at his native village Antarwali Sarathi in Jalna district in Marathwada region. At that time Shinde was CM and Fadnavis was deputy CM with home portfolio. The 43 years old Maratha activist known for his unwavering commitment to reservation for the community was then just seen as a local leader. However, police lathicharge on the protestors who were violent invited sharp reaction from community across Maharashtra. And Jarange Patil become larger than life leader representing the cause of Maratha quota. Despite strong resentment from established leaders he elicited support amongst the masses and patronage from politicians who were against BJP led Mahayuti government.
Although the demand for Maratha reservation had been voiced way back in 1980s, it took the form of an organised protest in 2016 to 2018 during first tenure of the Fadnavis government (2014-2019). The agitation for reservation was organised as Maratha Kranti Morcha. The first phase of the agitation, which saw 58 silent rallies across Maharashtra, was peaceful and highly disciplined in 2016 to 2017.
In the second phase of the agitation — from 2017-2018 that rocked the state following a spate of suicides — saw the state government expeditiously set up the M G Gaikwad Commission, which gave a nod for Maratha quota. It was followed by the government's decision to come out with a special legislation, The Socially and Educationally Backward Class Act, to accommodate Maratha reservation. The community, under the SEBC act, got 12 and 13 per cent reservation in education and job.
Jarange-Patil played a pro-active role in all these agitations as an activist. He had not yet risen to the status of a leader during this time, a role the agitations had been missing. In the past, he had associated himself with the Congress party at the taluka level. However, he soon left the party and started the Shivba Sanghatana in 2011.
His stated objective of the newly formed organisation was to campaign for the rights of Marathas.
Like any other youth, he was also highly influenced by the role of the Maratha warrior kings Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Sambhaji Maharaj. He took the lead along with other villagers in organising the birth anniversaries of Shivaji and Sambhaji Maharaj and also addressed the rural audience. He had actively participated in organising a play on Sambhaji Raje enacted by NCP (MP) Amol Kolhe in his taluka and neighbourhood.
The rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl in Kopardi village in Ahmednagar district, which led the Marathas to consolidate and plan an agitation, also had a lasting influence on him. Jarange Patil participated in long marches in Marathwada region as an activist.
In 2018, the Fadnavis government announced 12 and 13 per cent quota to Marathas in education and jobs respectively. However, the quota was challenged in court through a public litigation questioning its social backwardness.
The Supreme Court had in May 2021 struck down reservation for Marathas under the Socially and Educationally Backward Class Act. The reason was that the reservation violated the 50 per cent ceiling mandated for the state. Secondly, questions were also raised about the social backward status of Marathas, which was the politically dominant community with 33 per cent state population.
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