Vikhe Patil heads a cabinet sub-committee on issues related to the Maratha community's demand for reservation and its social, educational and economic condition
Manoj Jarange. Pic/PTI
Maharashtra Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis late at night to discuss the ongoing hunger strike by activist Manoj Jarange in Mumbai to press for Maratha quota, sources said on Sunday, reported news agency PTI.
Vikhe Patil heads a cabinet sub-committee on issues related to the Maratha community's demand for reservation and its social, educational and economic condition.
Jarange has been staging an indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai from Friday over his demand for a 10 per cent quota for Marathas under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category.
He has demanded that Marathas be recognised as Kunbis, an agrarian caste included in the OBC category, which will make them eligible for reservation in government jobs and education, reported PTI.
A government-appointed delegation led by retired high court Justice Sandeep Shinde on Saturday met Jarange, who demanded that Marathas in Marathwada be given the Kunbi status and a government resolution (GR) be issued saying Kunbis and Marathas are the same.
Justice Shinde heads a committee set up to scrutinise Kunbi records of the Maratha community,
Vikhe Patil met CM Fadnavis late Saturday night to discuss the issue. The meeting lasted for an hour, according to sources, reported PTI.
Senior BJP leader Girish Mahajan was also present at the meet.
The cabinet sub-committee headed by Vikhe Patil will meet again on Sunday.
Jarange on Saturday slammed CM Fadnavis for sending Justice Shinde to hold talks with him.
"It is not Justice Shinde's job to issue a GR announcing grant of reservation to Marathas," Jarange said, vowing to continue the agitation, reported PTI.
Fadnavis has said the government was trying to find a solution to the issue within the constitutional and legal framework.
Meanwhile, activist Manoj Jarange on Sunday asserted he will not leave Mumbai until his demand for reservation to the Maratha community is met, as his hunger strike entered the third day.
He also claimed his demand was constitutionally valid and that the government has records showing Kunbis and Marathas are the same caste.
A large number of agitators were present at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), impacting traffic in the area and nearby junctions, according to police.
"As the Agitation at Azad Maidan still continues, agitators are present at CSMT Junction, impacting traffic in the area and nearby junctions. Motorists are advised to avoid these route and take an alternate route to reach their destination," the Mumbai Traffic Police said on their X handle.
(With inputs from PTI)
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