‘Maharashtra government is lying on issue of Maratha reservation,’ says Aaditya Thackeray

On Saturday, activist Manoj Jarange Patil started another indefinite hunger strike from his village, Antarwali-Saraati in Maharashtra's Jalna district to press for Maratha reservation.

Nashik: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government over the issue of Maratha reservation.

“This government only gives false consolations and lied from the first day. They don’t do anything and today this reality is coming up in front of the people,” said Aaditya Thackeray.

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Further attacking the Chief Minister, he said, “Eknath Shinde must have lied to those protesting over the Maratha reservation. He is a habitual liar. I think someone should bring a solution to the issue.” Meanwhile, after Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil started yet another indefinite hunger strike, a special session of the Maharashtra Assembly in connection to the Reservation is likely to be called at this weekend, sources said.

On Saturday, activist Manoj Jarange Patil started another indefinite hunger strike from his village, Antarwali-Saraati in Maharashtra’s Jalna district to press for Maratha reservation.

Patil also demanded that the state government start the process of taking back all the cases filed against members of the Maratha community.

Even though the state government issued a draft notification claiming to give the reservation to the Maratha community, Jarange Patil and his community are in doubt after the contradictory statements passed by the leaders.

The Maratha community, under the leadership of Jarange Patil, has been seeking reservations in education and jobs under the OBC category. The guarantee of reservation under the Kumbi category however finds objection within the Maharashta government with senior leader Chhagan Bhujbal opposed to it.

Patil had begun his agitation in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, outlining several demands, including Kunbi certificates for all Marathas, free education from kindergarten to postgraduate level, and reservation of seats for Marathas in government job recruitments.

Following this, the government issued an ordinance accepting these demands.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde claimed that his government would give the reservation to the Maratha community without making any kind of change in other communities’ reservations.