Daijiworld Media Network - Nagpur
Nagpur, Aug 30: As Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil escalates his protest in Mumbai, refusing to leave until the Maharashtra government grants reservation to the Maratha community from the OBC quota, tensions have intensified in Nagpur, where OBC activists have launched an indefinite chain hunger strike. The protest, unfolding in the home turf of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, signals growing resistance from the OBC community over fears of losing their reservation rights.
The agitation is being led by Babanrao Tayawade, national president of the OBC Federation, who began the hunger strike on Saturday. Tayawade declared that the OBC community will not yield to what he described as pressure tactics from Jarange-Patil, and reiterated a firm demand that Marathas should not be accommodated within the OBC framework.
"The National OBC Federation has made it absolutely clear — the Maratha community should not be granted OBC status, nor should they be issued Kunbi certificates,” Tayawade stated. He added that the chain hunger strike will continue until the state government provides a written guarantee that the existing OBC reservation will remain untouched.
The standoff comes at a time when the Maratha reservation issue continues to polarize communities across Maharashtra. While Jarange-Patil insists on OBC quota inclusion for Marathas, OBC groups fear dilution of their long-fought rights and benefits.
In an attempt to ease tensions, CM Devendra Fadnavis recently clarified that the government will not allocate Maratha quota from within the existing OBC reservation. Echoing that stance, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde emphasized that the interests of OBCs and other communities would not be compromised. “It is not possible to reduce or take away the OBC quota and give it to the Maratha community,” said Shinde, stressing that the government remains committed to finding a legally viable solution that respects the rights of all communities.
While the state continues to explore options within constitutional limits, protests on both sides highlight the delicate social balance and high political stakes surrounding the reservation debate in Maharashtra. As the hunger strike gains momentum in Nagpur and pressure mounts in Mumbai, all eyes are on the state government’s next move in navigating this complex and volatile issue.