New Delhi: In a grave development in the Maratha quota protests that started late August, a 45-year-old man died by suicide demanding reservations for the community.
Sunil Kavle, a Maratha activist from Jalna, left a three-page suicide note stating that he was ending his life seeking reservations for his community before hanging himself from a a flyover in Mumbai.
His death comes just five days before the deadline set by Maratha leader Manoj Jarange Patil who has threatened a wider agitation if the Marathas were not recognised as Other Backward Classes (OBCs) by October 24, the Economic Times reported.
Kavle’s family said that the government should honour his last wishes and provide reservations to the Marathas.
“The (state) government is responsible for this. There is a view within the community that the government is deliberately not giving Marathas reservations. The government should not keep the Marathas waiting but ensure that they are given reservations soon. I am imploring the Maratha youth to not take any drastic steps. We will have a peaceful stir but we will get reservation for our community,” Patil said.
In September, another Maratha youth ended his life seeking quota, the Economic Times reported.
Also read: Explainer: Why the Maratha Quota Agitation Has Put Successive Maharashtra Governments in a Bind
Nationalist Congress Party MP Supriya Sule said, “They are a totally insensitive government. Under this triple engine government, they have not been able to give reservation to the Dhangar (shepherd) community, Muslims, Lingayats and Marathas.”
The Maratha quota protests had begun on August 29 when Patil, a Maratha activist from Jalna, sat on an indefinite hunger strike, reviving a three-decade old demand for Maratha reservations. In some places, the agitation turned violent with the police resorting to lathi-charge on the protesters, further worsening the situation.
The Maharashtra government apologised for the lathi-charge and later announced that Kunbi caste certificates will be issued to those who possess revenue or education documents from the Nizam era that recognise them as Kunbis.
However, this solution was not accepted by Patil and his supporters. On October 14, the maratha leader gave a deadline to the state government and said, “After October 24, it will be either my funeral procession or the community’s victory celebration (after granting of reservation).”
The activist said he would address the community on October 22 to explain their course of action after October 24 in case the demand is not fulfilled. He also asked his supporters to maintain peace during protests, PTI reported.