Ambedkar meets protestors, backs Maratha quotas agitation

Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) President Prakash Ambedkar, along with senior leaders, on Tuesday called on Maratha Kranti Morcha leader Manoj Jarange-Patil who is currently on a hunger strike since August 29.

Accompanied by Prof. Dhairyavardhan Pundkar, Prof. Kisan Chavan, Ashok Hinge-Patil, Savita Munde, Amit Bhuigal and others, Ambedkar went to the tent where Jarange-Patil is carrying on the protest and expressed his support to their cause at the Antaravli-Sarati village this afternoon.

On seeing Jarange-Patil’s frail condition, the VBA chief appealed to him to take care of his health to carry forward the agitation successfully ahead.

Referring to the Maratha leader’s recent statements that the government may target the protestors, Ambedkar urged Jarange-Patil not to talk of "dying" and said if he is not around, then who will lead the agitation.

"I plead on behalf of all that Jarange-Patil should not speak about 'dying'… Better to kill than die! And prove your point… For this is our country, in a democracy, people are the real masters. All should take note," declared Ambedkar.

Jarange-Patil has reiterated that he will discard consuming even water from Tuesday if the government failed to bow to the Marathas reservations demands.

However, government representatives, including ex-MLA Arjun Khotkar, who met him this morning, expressed reservations over issuing a "GR" (Government Resolution) within two days as demanded as it would not be fool-proof and unable to withstand legal scrutiny.

Accordingly, they have urged Jarange-Patil to call off his indefinite hunger strike and give the government at least a month’s time to fulfil its commitments taking into account all possible legal aspects.

They reiterated that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has also made a firm statement that the government is positive and committed to giving the Maratha quotas but needed time to implement it.