Minister Uday Samant: “Maratha Quota Activist Manoj Patil’s Move to End Fast a Setback for Those With Vested Interests”

Industries Minister Uday Samant said on Saturday that the decision by Maratha reservation campaigner Manoj Jarange Patil and his followers to break their fast at the state government’s request is a defeat for those with vested interests who attempted to foment violence in Maharashtra.

The administration of Eknath Shinde has given Marathas two months to get reservations. The all-party meeting convened to deliberate on the matter determined that the quota dispute would not be politicized; yet, the opposition leaders have come under attack from the Shinde camp for allegedly inciting the mobs that became violent across the state.

“I appreciate that Manoj Jarange Patil and his backers broke their fast. An important role in this complicated matter was also played by retired judges. I was a member of the group that spoke with Patil in-depth on Friday. We told them that the Maratha community will have a permanent reservation from our administration,” he stated.

Samant went on, “Groups with vested interests have suffered since Patil ended his hunger strike. From 2014 to 2019, the Maratha people in Maharashtra marched in thousands without using force. However, some individuals attempted to use violence this time to disparage Patil and the administration.

The minister said that the government has begun providing the community with Kunbi credentials in compliance with Patil’s requests. “Eknath Shinde, the chief minister, and the deputy chief ministers are keeping an eye on these developments.” Many Maratha chief ministers have served as chief ministers, but only Shinde has the authority to grant them reservations, and he is steadfastly pursuing this goal.

Samant went on to say: “Patil has demanded that proceedings against the community’s young be removed due to agitation. Shinde has instructed that cases that have already been withdrawn will be returned within a month, and that the cases that have been withdrawn would be put back within the next 15 days. Patil said that farmers who have lost out should be reimbursed, and Shinde has stated that 441 farmers would get compensation. All of Patil’s requests have been documented by the government, and work has begun to address them.