AAP MP Sanjay Singh, who met Jarange Patil at Azad Maidan, said the Kunbi Marathas—primarily farmers—have long borne the brunt of agrarian distress, debt traps, and farmer suicides
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange (L) and AAP MP Sanjay Singh. Pic/AAP
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday extended its support to activist Manoj Jarange Patil in his demand for Maratha reservation, urging the Maharashtra government to find a constitutional solution without affecting existing reservations for OBCs.
AAP MP Sanjay Singh, who met Jarange Patil at Azad Maidan, said the Kunbi Marathas—primarily farmers—have long borne the brunt of agrarian distress, debt traps, and farmer suicides. “Their demand is legitimate. The government has repeatedly given false assurances without taking concrete action. The state must amend the Constitution and lift the reservation ceiling, on the lines of Tamil Nadu,” Singh said.
AAP Mumbai President Preeti Sharma Menon criticised the state government for failing to provide basic necessities like water and sanitation to protesters and for shutting down restaurants and eateries in protest areas. “This reflects a fascist mindset, suppressing dissent instead of upholding constitutional rights,” she said.
Ruben Mascarenhas, AAP Mumbai Working President, added that reservation demands are not a zero-sum game. “Every marginalised community has the right to affirmative action. The government must reconcile these demands rather than create a false binary. The BJP has repeatedly shown it lacks the political will to act,” he said.
The AAP delegation also included Ajit Phatke Patil, Working President of Maharashtra; Ruben Mascarenhas, Working President of Mumbai; and Prakash Jarwal, former MLA and Maharashtra in-charge.
Maratha Morcha: Bombay HC asks Manoj Jarange and his supporters to vacate Azad Maidan by 3 pm
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday asked Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange and his supporters to vacate Azad Maidan in south Mumbai by 3 pm.
Azad Maidan is the protest site which has been occupied since Friday by tens of thousands of demonstrators demanding Maratha reservation.
The Bombay HC on Tuesday warned of action if Jarange and his supporters do not vacate the place.
A bench of acting Justice Chandrashekhar and Justice Aarti Sathe was hearing the matter.
The court expressed strong dissatisfaction over the crowd exceeding the permitted limit of 5,000 people, noting that an estimated 60,000 to 1,00,000 had entered the city for the protest. Chief Justice Chandrashekhar and Justice Arti Sathe warned that if the area is not cleared by the deadline, strict action would be taken.
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