Manoj Jarange claims efforts underway to discredit him during 90-day Maratha quota deadline

Activist Manoj Jarange on Monday claimed efforts were underway to discredit him during the 90-day period he has given the Maharashtra government to accept the demands pertaining to Maratha quota.

Addressing a press conference at a private hospital here, Jarange, however, said the Maratha community will defeat all such efforts to corner him and those associated with him.

Jarange also said he will soon reveal the connections behind such efforts and those involved in it.

"The Maratha community has understood that inquiries will take place and it shows how much people (associated with the quota stir) are being troubled. We will bear everything but we will not surrender. If they want to send us to jail, I will go," Jarange asserted.

Modi script experts to be named

Jarange said names of experts proficient in reading the Modi script would be submitted to the state government and they should be given the power to identify and upload names from records across Maharashtra.

"We are going to give the names of the Modi script experts to the state government. The sub-committee and the government should give power to these experts to find names and upload them too so that they can work across the state," he said.

"We will not give a single day more than the 90-day period we have given to implement Hyderabad and other gazettes, revoke cases and give aid to those who lost their lives in the fight for Maratha quota," Jarange asserted.

Jarange takes aim at Maratha political leaders

Jarange said Maratha political leaders are more interested in themselves than members of the community. However, the Maratha community is keeping an eye on this, he added.

The Maharashtra government must have the capacity to face criticism and fulfil the quota demands of the community, Jarange said.

Taking a swipe at his detractors, Jarange said the the more they speak, the more the Maratha community will awaken. People from the community will understand that these leaders and political parties will come not come to their help, he added.

Dussehra rally to be held on smaller scale

He also said his Dussehra rally at Narayangad in Beed district would be held on a small scale due to the prevailing drought situation.

On September 17, Jarange called off his 20-day-old fast and warned the Maharashtra government that he would take the protest to Mumbai if his demands over Maratha reservation were not considered in three months. He has been demanding reservation under the OBC category for the Marathas with the Kunbi caste genealogy.