Maratha reservation

As OBCs and Marathas Intensify Quota Stir, Shinde Govt Struggles to Find a ‘Lasting Solution’

In the recently concluded general elections, both the Maratha and OBC communities distanced themselves from the BJP and voted for the Mahavikas Aghadi alliance.

Mumbai: Over the past year, as the demand for reservation by the Maratha community has intensified, anxiety among the Other Backward Class (OBC) community has also increased. Last week, two leaders from the OBC community – Laxman Hake and Navnath Waghmare – went on a hunger strike for eight consecutive days, agreeing to call off their protest only when they were assured by the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti government that the existing reservation for the OBC community would not be disturbed even if the Maratha quota was implemented.

Hake, a former member of the Maharashtra State Backward Classes Commission, and Waghmare, the president of Samata Parishad’s Jalna unit, began their hunger strike on June 13. Since the protest started in Wadigodri village in Ambad tehsil of Jalna district, several opposition leaders, including Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi founder-President Prakash Ambedkar, visited them.

BJP leader Pankaja Munde was part of a delegation of OBC leaders that met with Shinde, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Ajit Pawar. Munde called for a “lasting solution” for both the OBC and Maratha communities, emphasising the need to end the tension between the two groups.

This is not the first time the OBC community has expressed concerns about including the Marathas – a numerically and politically dominant community – in the OBC list. In November last year, senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal led a protest against the state government’s decision to consider reservation for the Maratha community. Although Bhujbal joined the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, which is part of the ruling party in Maharashtra, he openly expressed his discontent with the government.

While the demand for Maratha status is longstanding, it intensified after Maratha activist Manoj Jarange-Patil increased his efforts against the government, seeking quotas in government jobs and education under the OBC category. Over the past year, Jarange-Patil has gone on hunger strike at least four times, each time being promised reservation in government jobs and education for the community in Maharashtra.

However, as the ruling ‘Mahayuti’ coalition – comprising the BJP, chief minister Eknath Shinde’s faction of the Shiv Sena, and the Nationalist Congress Party faction led by Ajit Pawar – continues to delay fulfilling these promises, Jarange-Patil has lost trust in the government. During the general elections, Jarange-Patil warned Fadnavis of dire consequences if the community’s demands were not met.

And consequences they faced. In the recently concluded general elections, it is believed that both the Maratha and OBC communities distanced themselves from the BJP and voted for the Mahavikas Aghadi alliance – comprising the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, Congress, and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena. Of the 28 seats contested, the BJP managed to secure only nine seats, with its allies winning eight. In contrast, the Mahavikas Aghadi secured a total of 30 seats. The voting pattern can be seen clearly in both the Marathwada and Vidarbha regions where the BJP was almost decimated.

Last week, at the BJP’s review meeting, presided over by Union home minister Amit Shah and organised in Delhi, the party’s setbacks in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra were high on the agenda. With the assembly election scheduled for the end of the year, the party is trying hard to appease the community. Although Fadnavis has not been asked to step down, the responsibility for failing to retain the party’s vote share in the state has been placed on him. Soon after the election results, Fadnavis offered to resign from his position.

The upheaval among both the Maratha and OBC communities indicates that it won’t be easy for the ruling government in the state unless they find a solution to this political conundrum.

Maratha Activist Jarange-Patil’s Statements Against BJP Could Cost the Party Dearly this Election

As the Mahayuti coalition continues to drag its feet on the assurances given to Manoj Jarange-Patil, he has attacked BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis for booking Maratha activists and said PM Modi knows the community is upset with the BJP.

New Delhi: In the last year, Maratha activist Manoj Jarange-Patil has gone on hunger strike at least four times, each time being promised reservation in government jobs and education for the community in Maharashtra.

However, as the Mahayuti coalition, comprised of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and chief minister Eknath Shinde’s faction of the Shiv Sena, along with the Nationalist Congress Party faction led by Ajit Pawar, continues to drag its feet on the assurances given to Jarange-Patil and the Maratha community, he no longer wants to trust the government.

Just before the fourth phase of the general election, Jarange-Patil told the media that the community would “teach Maharashtra’s ruling coalition a lesson” for denying them reservations and booking protestors on criminal charges.

Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s multiple campaigns in the state, Jarange-Patil said the PM knows that the community is upset with the BJP.

Illustration: Pariplab Chakraborty

In a series of interviews on May 11 and 12, Jarange-Patil directly attacked BJP leader and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis (who also heads the home department) for booking community activists across the state on multiple charges. These cases were filed against them as they rallied alongside Jarange-Patil seeking reservation.

In an interview to the Hindustan Times, Jarange-Patil claimed that the community turned against the BJP after Fadnavis initiated action against Maratha youth and a special investigation team (SIT) was set up to probe Jarange-Patil’s role in the agitation.

Jarange-Patil, who rose to fame in the last few months, enjoys massive support among the Maratha community, especially the youth. His statements against the BJP could cost the party dearly.

Although the Maratha leader claims he doesn’t support any political party, he has been touring around the state, especially in the region where the Marathas have a sizable presence.

The promise for quota to the community was made outside the legal framework and against the Supreme Court’s decision.

In February, when Jarange-Patil went on a hunger strike for six days, the Maharashtra government had given in to his demands and the state legislature passed a Bill granting a 10% quota in both government jobs and education for the community.

However, the government resolution issued soon after has yet to be implemented.

The community, estimated to be more than 30% of the state’s population, already dominates state politics.

Additionally, many studies show that the community possesses major landholdings in most parts of the state.

Among Jarange-Patil’s many demands is Kunbi status for the Maratha community. Kunbis are considered a sub-caste among the Marathas and already have OBC status in the state.

Kunbis are not happy with this demand.

The Maratha community’s demand for reservation has not been well-received by state’s OBCs. Comprising over 38% of the total population, many leaders from the OBC community, including Chhagan Bhujbal, have opposed the government’s decision to grant reservation to the Maratha community.

Winds of Change Coming From Maharashtra? Pune’s Journalists Give INDIA a Real Chance

The Wire spoke to four Maharashtra journalists on reservation for Marathas, Hindu-Muslim tension, the politics of party subversion and the problems of farmers.

In this video, Zeeshan Kaskar of The Wire attempts to understand the ground reality by speaking with journalists from Pune. In this detailed discussion, the journalists predict a rise in seats for the INDIA alliance.

Participating in this discussion are Advait Mehta, a journalist for the “Bol Bhidu” YouTube channel; Dnyaneshwar Bijle, who has covered the BJP for more than 35 years; photojournalist Sandesh Bhandare and writer Pramod Muzumdar.

All these journalists have closely observed Maharashtra’s politics. The experiences and opinions of all four are evident in this discussion, but there is a common guess among them that the INDIA alliance will benefit in this elections.

Reservation for Marathas, Hindu-Muslim tension, the politics of party subversion and the problems of farmers were discussed.

Watch the full video here:

Amid OBC-Maratha Quota Row in Maharashtra, Shinde Sena MP Backs Nationwide Caste Census Demand

Prataprao Jadhav’s statement in parliament endorsing a key poll promise of the opposition INDIA bloc goes against the view of the Eknath Shinde-led government. However, it also reflects Shinde Sena’s difficulty over placating its own OBC leaders after deciding to give into the Maratha quota demand.

New Delhi: At a time when Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in Maharashtra are up in arms against the Eknath Shinde-led state government over its decision to grant OBC certificates to Marathas, Shiv Sena MP, Prataprao Jadhav, called for a nationwide caste census speaking in parliament on Tuesday, February 7.

“Following the movement for the Maratha reservation, around 57 lakh people are being given Kunbi certificates. There has been a demand for a caste census in parliament too. If a caste census is done along with the general census in 2026-27, reservations for OBCs can be increased in states where their population is found to be higher. Similarly, quota can be reduced wherever it is found that their population has decreased,” Buldhana MP said, according to The Indian Express.

Jadhav’s statement assumes significance for two reasons: One, it is a major poll plank of the Opposition bloc, the INDIA alliance; two, the Shinde government is still non-commital on commissioning such a survey at least in Maharashtra. On the other hand, Jadhav’s statement is also being perceived as an attempt by the Shinde government to placate OBCs in the state who are angered by the decision to give in to demands of Manoj Jarange Patil, by promising him to grant OBC certificates to Marathas.

“In Maharashtra, Kolis, Dhangars, and Lingayats, among others, have been agitating for reservation. I request the government that a census of these communities be conducted and appropriate reservation is granted to them. The Centre must give proper instructions to the state governments,” Jadhav said in the parliament, while speaking on a Bill that assures reservations to OBCs in Jammu and Kashmir.

Jahadv’s statement calling for a nationwide caste census is a first by a Sena MP although several OBC leaders of the Shinde government have been vocal in their criticism over accepting the demands of Maratha quota leader Manoj Jarange Patil. Last month, the Shinde government issued a draft notification stating that Kunbi (OBC) certificates would be given to Marathas, after Patil went on an indefinite hunger strike. The OBCs in the state, including its leaders like Chhagan Bhujbal, a senior minister in the Shinde Cabinet, opposed the move, fearing that it would eat into their share of the reservation pie.

While supporting the idea of the nationwide caste census, Jadhav, however, criticised Rahul Gandhi and his Congress party who are one of the earliest proponents of the nationwide caste census this time around. According to Jadhav, the Congress is floating the idea only to keep the poor and backward as they are. “They opposed the Mandal Commission report tooth and nail. It is under the Narendra Modi government that OBCs will get reservation in Jammu and Kashmir after 75 years,” he said speaking in the parliament.

Meanwhile, Nationalist Congress Party MP Supriya Sule, accused the government of doing nothing despite demands for reservation from many communities in Maharashtra. “Can they please specify what is their stand on SC/ST and OBC reservations? They should bring a nationwide policy on reservations. They have a triple-engine government in Maharashtra but no elections are happening in local bodies in the state,” she said.

Maratha Quota Stir: Jarange Patil Leads Massive March to Mumbai

Patil also issued an ultimatum saying that he will go on a hunger strike starting January 26 in Mumbai if their demand for Maratha reservation isn’t met.

As the nation witnessed the Ram temple consecration, another significant event unfolded in Maharashtra – a massive Maratha morcha (protest) led by Manoj Jarange Patil. Starting from Jalna on January 20, this protest traversed through Ahmednagar and is set to reach Mumbai on January 26. Massive crowds were seen taking part in this protest demanding the implementation of the Maratha reservation.

Patil also issued an ultimatum saying that he will go on a hunger strike starting January 26 in Mumbai if their demand for Maratha reservation isn’t met.

The Marathas have carried out more than 50 protests between 2016 and 2018. In 2018, the M.G. Gaikwad Commission recommended including the community in the Socially and Economically Backward Classes category. Consequently, the Maharashtra government unanimously passed a bill granting the Maratha community 16% reservation in jobs and education in November that year. The Supreme Court, citing the Indra Sawhney judgment, ruled that reservations should not surpass 50% and thus struck down the Maratha reservation in 2021. The agitation for Maratha reservations was then revived in September 2023.

Patil gained prominence in September last year after the Maharashtra police lathi-charged on a Maratha protest in Jalna. Despite breaking a 17-day hunger strike after a meeting with chief minister Eknath Shinde, unanswered ultimatums led him to declare this morcha from Jalna to Mumbai via Ahmednagar and Pune.

This time, the Marathas demanded that they be included in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category by granting all Marathas a Kunbi caste certificate. The OBCs are opposed to giving Marathas any space within the reservation system and the conflicting demands have sparked protests across various districts of Maharashtra. These were led by Chagan Bhujbal who belongs to the Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP’s) Ajit Pawar faction. Some say Bhujbal is trying to project himself as a future leader of the state.

Understanding the demographics

India Human Development Survey (IHDS) data shows that, in Maharashtra, 32.8% of the populations belongs to the OBC category, 26.6% to the Maratha community, 9.7% are from Scheduled Castes (SC), 9.3% from Scheduled Tribes (ST), 6.6% constitute Other Upper Castes (OUC), 5.8% are Muslims, and 1.8% are Brahmins.

Despite Marathas constituting a significant portion of the population, especially in urban areas, disparities exist. Urban statistics show only 12% of Marathas in the “poor and poorest” categories, with 70% belonging to the affluent class. Educational performance and economic strata indicate a robust presence putting them second only to the Brahmin community. However, as per a research paper by Sumeet Mhaskar, IHDS data indicates that 38% of Marathas in rural areas fall into the “poor and poorest” category, revealing that the community faces challenges primarily in villages.

Historically a dominant community, Marathas faced economic setbacks post-1990, with the closure of mills in Mumbai. The economic shift forced many into poverty, prompting a return to villages where agriculture was no longer profitable.

Economic vulnerabilities led Marathas to rely on public institutions, facing tough competition for open category seats due to financial constraints. Exorbitant fees in private institutions and unauthorised commissions added to their challenges.

The Counter-protests

The OBC community, under the leadership of Bhujbal, has vehemently opposed the proposition to grant Marathas OBC reservation. Bhujbal, a key political figure in Maharashtra, has been vocal about the potential adverse impact on the existing 300+ OBC communities if Marathas are included in this category. He argues that such inclusion would disproportionately affect other OBC groups and stands firm against endorsing the proposal. This opposition from the OBCs is seen as a significant hurdle for the implementation of Maratha reservation.

Shinde has attempted to placate Patil, but his alliance with OBC leaders like Bhujbal has lead to a deadlock.

Now the question remains: Will Maratha reservation be granted, or will Patil’s agitation challenge the Maharashtra government? Watch the video to know more.

Will Jarange-Patil’s Maratha Agitation Create a Political Crisis in Maharashtra?

Even after ending his fast, Manoj Jarange-Patil remains in the driver’s seat.

Manoj Jarange-Patil is a name that has been ringing loudly across Maharashtra over the past couple of months. The man from Beed was on a fast unto death with one demand: provide 16% reservation to the Maratha community in Maharashtra.

On October 2, Jarange-Patil ended his nine-day fast after chief minister Eknath Shinde promised to resolve the reservation issue in two months. But even after ending the fast, Jarange-Patil remains in the driver’s seat.

A renewed demand

The demand for the Maratha reservation is not new. The demand has been around since 1997 and the protests were at their peak in 2016.

In November 2018, then chief minister Devendra Fadnavis enacted the Maharashtra State Reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Act. This legislation granted a 16% reservation in education and government jobs specifically for the Maratha community.

The Bombay high court in 2019 upheld the quota, but wanted it reduced to 12-13%. In 2021, the Supreme Court scrapped it, citing the 50% cap on total reservations established in 1992. The court maintained that there were no “exceptional circumstances” or an “extraordinary situation” in Maharashtra that warranted the state government exceeding this limit.

The issue gained momentum once again in September. A protest in Jalna turned violent and videos of the police lathi-charging Maratha protestors spread like wildfire. Suddenly, Jarange-Patil became a household name.

What commissions have said

The Mandal Commission report did not consider Marathas in Maharashtra to be a backward community and thus, did not recommend that it should classified as part of reservations for the Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

In July 2008, a committee commissioned by the Maharashtra government and led by retired judge R.M. Bapat released a report rejecting the idea of reservations for Marathas. Six years later, in 2014, another committee chaired by Narayan Rane [a Congress minister then, a BJP minister now] presented a contrasting report. This committee argued that Marathas constituted 32% of the state’s population and required economic support, thereby justifying the need for reservations.

At that time, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan’s government approved a proposal to reserve 16% of government jobs and seats in educational institutions for Marathas, along with 5% for Muslims. An ordinance was swiftly passed to enforce this decision. However, the implementation of the ordinance was promptly contested in the Bombay high court, leading to a stay order in 2014.

The complications within

The Marathas are not a homogenous unit. There are various sub-castes within the Marathas, such as the Kunbis. The Kunbi community has a primarily agrarian background. They have traditionally been involved in farming and agriculture. Marathas are a landed caste.

In the 1960s, Panjabrao Deshmukh, a prominent figure in Maharashtra, conducted a survey challenging the Maratha identity of the farming community. He proposed that they were not Marathas but rather ‘Kunbis,’ a distinction that was controversial at the time and received widespread attention.

During that era, farmers in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra obtained certificates identifying themselves as Kunbis in substantial numbers. However, farmers in the Marathwada and western Maharashtra region questioned whether they should be classified as ‘Other Backward Classes’ (OBCs), raising doubts about their traditional status as landowners.

Fast forward four decades, the Maratha farmers from the former ashram schools in Vidarbha now benefit from reservations under the Kunbi category. Meanwhile, Maratha farmers in Marathwada find themselves excluded from the Maratha reservation.

The current agitation by Jarange-Patil demands a blanket reservation for all Marathas under the Kunbi caste certificate.

BJP and Maratha agitation

The demand has larger implications for OBC communities and also for the BJP. The former are anxious that if the Marathas are included in the quota, it may dilute their share. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state faces challenges in maintaining unity among its coalition allies – the Shiv Sena and the rebel faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Ajit Pawar – while also appeasing its core OBC voter base.

To address the discontent within the OBC community, the BJP launched the ‘OBC Jagar Yatra,’ starting in the Vidarbha region. This initiative aims to emphasise the BJP’s commitment to the welfare of the OBC community and assure them that their reservation will not be compromised for the Marathas.

Vidarbha, a stronghold of the Congress party before the BJP’s rise in 2014, holds significant political influence in Maharashtra, boasting ten Lok Sabha seats and 62 Assembly seats out of 288. However, the BJP faces a growing challenge from a resurgent Congress in Vidarbha, where the party has 15 of its 45 MLAs.

The BJP also saw some OBC leaders expressing discontent during Devendra Fadnavis’ tenure as chief minister (2014-2019), Some, like Pankaja Munde and Prakash Mehta, were apparently sidelined, while Eknath Khadse joined the NCP.

These internal challenges threaten the BJP’s stability in the region, adding complexity to the ongoing Maratha-OBC reservation issue.

Back to the present

Two MPs, both loyalists of chief minister Eknath Shinde, have resigned to support the agitation, while the protests have turned violent and targeted lawmakers in parts of Maharashtra. The issue has the potential of ballooning into a full-blown political issue in Maharashtra before the Lok Sabha polls, even though Jarange-Patil has ended his fast.

So, will the Marathas get reservations? Will the OBCs accept it? Will the BJP avert a political crisis in Maharashtra? These are some important questions which have no answers at this moment.

Maharashtra: Another Man Dies by Suicide, Leaves Note Demanding Maratha Quota in Jobs, Education

In a separate incident, activists from the community vandalised vehicles belonging to a Mumbai-based lawyer who had been opposing Maratha reservation.

New Delhi: The demand for Maratha reservation in Maharashtra escalated on October 26, after a 25-year-old person allegedly took his own life in Maharashtra’s Hingoli district, while activists from the community vandalised vehicles belonging to a Mumbai-based lawyer who had been opposing Maratha reservation.

According to the Hindu, the police said that the deceased has been identified as one Krishna Kalyankar, and his dead body was found in a farm in Hingoli’s Kalamnuri tehsil.

He left a note saying that he took his own life to expedite Maratha reservation in jobs and education.

According to the Times of India, two more suicides have been reported on the same day, which Maratha community members claim are linked to the quota demand. However, the police have not yet confirmed whether these suicides were indeed in protest against the delay in reservations.

Several members of the community have taken their lives during the Maratha quota agitation.

On October 24, 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 came 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 OBCs by October 24.

Patil, who is on a hunger strike since August 29, has repeatedly urged restraint upon community members.

In a separate incident, three activists from the Maratha Kranti Morcha, a group leading the agitation, vandalised cars belonging to Mumbai-based lawyer Gunaratna Sadavarte, a vocal opponent of Maratha reservation. The newspaper cited sources saying that the vandals chanted pro-reservation slogans after damaging his property.

Sadavarte has demanded the immediate arrest of Jarange Patil, but the activist disclaimed any knowledge of the incident and urged community members to protest peacefully without resorting to violence, the daily reported.

Sadavarte has claimed that he and his family had been receiving death threats from quota agitators. “I will keep fight for the rights of the open category students till my last breath. I will not permit any divisions on the basis of caste. Let merit prevail.”

Speaking in Jalna, Jarange Patil said the Maratha community did not support any form of violence while carrying out its agitation.

“I am not even aware of this incident. I am merely fighting for the rights of poor Marathas. They have realised that no one, be it any political party or the government, stands with them in fighting for a quota,” said the activist.

If you know someone – friend or family member – at risk of suicide, please reach out to them. The Suicide Prevention India Foundation maintains a list of telephone numbers they can call to speak in confidence. Icall, a counselling service run by TISS, has maintained a crowdsourced list of therapists across the country. You could also take them to the nearest hospital.

Maratha Quota Stir: Manoj Jarenge Patil Resumes Hunger Strike After 40-Day Deadline to Govt Ends

Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy chief minster Devendra Fadnavis paid an unscheduled visit to Delhi to meet Union home minister Amit Shah.

New Delhi: A day after Maratha activist Manoj Jarenge-Patil’s 40-day deadline to the Maharashtra government, the farmer activist resumed his indefinite hunger strike on Wednesday (October 25) and said it will continue until all Marathas are given reservations.

Accusing the government of inaction, Patil rejected their plea to defer his protest any further after he called off the first phase of the protest on September 14, the Hindustan Times reported. Marathas from over 2,400 villages have joined the agitation, the report said.

Patil and his supporters have been demanding that all Marathas be given Kunbi caste certificates to get the benefits of reservation in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. Kunbi, a sub-caste of Marathas, are classified as OBCs.

Rural development minister Girish Mahajan called Patil before he began his hunger strike at 11 am. “We want to give reservations that will stand up to legal scrutiny. The Justice Sandeep Shinde committee is working on the report. Chief minister Eknath Shinde has sworn on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in his Dussehra rally that he will give you reservation at any cost. He will personally speak to you,” Mahajan was heard telling Patil, who made the conversation public by turning on his phone speaker.

Also read: Maratha Quota Stir: BJP’s Plan For 2024 Lok Sabha Polls Under Threat From Ongoing Protests

“You asked for 30 days, we gave you 41, but nothing was done,” Patil told Mahajan. “There is no way we will call off the protest, as our youths are suffering. The government had promised that it would withdraw the cases against protesters after the September 1 lathi charge but nothing has been done. It looks like the government is playing tricks on us,” the activist said.

Patil added that 16 Marathas had died by suicide in the last few days but the government had done nothing to help their families. He also demanded that the farmers who suffered losses to their crops during the agitation be compensated by conducting a spot assessment.

The minister said that a legal process is required to withdraw police cases and that the concerned district collectors had been directed to help the families of those who died by suicide.

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.

Also read: Maratha Quota Stir: Man Dies by Suicide, Leaves Note Demanding Reservation for Community

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.

OBC organisations, who are against the Marathas eating into their share of the quota, have said they will resume their agitation only if the government deviates from its written assurance that their quota will not be touched, the Hindustan Times reported. “Unless the government swerves from its stand, we will not react,” said Babanrao Taywade, president, OBC Mahasangh.

Meanwhile, chief minister Shinde and deputy chief minster Devendra Fadnavis paid an unscheduled visit to Delhi on Wednesday and met Union home minister Amit Shah. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to speak about the issue during his Shirdi tour on Thursday,” an official from the chief minister’s office told the paper.

Maratha Quota Stir: Man Dies by Suicide, Leaves Note Demanding Reservation for Community

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 OBCs by October 24.

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.”

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.

Maratha Quota Stir: BJP’s Plan For 2024 Lok Sabha Polls Under Threat From Ongoing Protests

The two opposing groups that have emerged from the agitation have remained unyielding as the protests in the state intensified last week.

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) calculations ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections have come under threat due to escalating protests over Maratha reservation in Maharashtra.

The two opposing groups that have emerged from the agitation have remained unyielding as the protests in the state intensified last week with Manoj Jarange-Patil announcing that he has given up water and intravenous support.

While a set of protesters are demanding reservations for the entire Maratha community that are currently classified as general, Kunbis and other OBC groups that fall under the other backward classes umbrella have opposed their demand to be included in the same category as them.

Patil’s move was an attempt to put more pressure on the government to accept his demand of bringing the entire community under the OBC category.

However, OBC groups and Kunbis – the subset of the Maratha community that is already classified as backward – fear that the dominant community that makes up roughly a third of the state’s population will eat into their share, the Hindustan Times reported.

On Monday (September 18), Kunbi and other OBC leaders carried out a march in Nagpur against including Marathas in the OBC list. The state government is trying to get the OBC community to call off the stir and chief minister Eknath Shinde is likely to meet OBC leaders this week, the Economic Times reported.

However, Rashtriya OBC Maha Sangh president B. Taywade has said the community would not call off the agitation easily. The OBC groups said they are not willing to ‘give up our share of reservation for anyone else’. If the government wants to give reservation to the Maratha community, it should consider giving it from the open category,” he was quoted by the Hindustan Times as saying.

The BJP-Shiv Sena government had called an all party meeting last week after being stuck in a deadlock with the protesters for nearly three weeks.

In addition to the ongoing protests, the Dhangar community has also begun an agitation demanding that it be given a Scheduled Tribe status, the Economic Times report said.