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The Maharashtra government is gearing up to convene a one-day special session of the state assembly on February 16, according to reports from India TV. State Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is scheduled to hold a cabinet meeting prior to the special session to deliberate on the survey report of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) commission.
This development follows demands from quota activist Manoj Jarange, who is currently on a hunger strike, calling for a special session of the Maharashtra legislature. Jarange has been pressing for the conversion of the draft notification concerning “blood relatives” of Kunbi Marathas into law.
On Sunday, Jarange reiterated his commitment to continue his indefinite fast until his demands are met. His agitation, launched in his native Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, marks the fourth time in less than a year that he has resorted to a hunger strike to advocate for the inclusion of the Maratha community under the OBC grouping.
Earlier, Jarange led a massive march to Mumbai, culminating on its borders on January 26, where he engaged in discussions with Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde regarding the draft notification. The notification proposed that “sage soyre” or blood relatives of Maratha individuals with Kunbi community lineage would be recognized as Kunbi, an agrarian community entitled to OBC quota benefits.
Despite assurances from the state government, Jarange remains steadfast in his determination to pursue his demands. Alongside the conversion of the draft notification into law, he has also called for the immediate withdrawal of cases filed against Maratha community protesters across the state.
As tensions persist over the Maratha quota issue, all eyes are on the forthcoming special session of the Maharashtra legislature, where discussions are expected to focus on addressing the grievances of the Maratha community and resolving the ongoing agitation led by Manoj Jarange.
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