Is Jarange’s Agitation Causing Caste Division?

In progressive Maharashtra, with its legacy of Mahatma Phule, Shahu Maharaj, and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, who fought against caste discrimination, a new challenge to the state’s stability has emerged. Manoj Jarange’s Maratha reservation movement is fostering divisions in the Hindu community along caste lines. This situation has been worsened by social media posts, reels, and graphics that fuel caste-based sentiments igniting communal unrest across Maharashtra.

In certain Marathwada districts, there have been social boycotts, village bans, and other divisive experiments due to Jarange’s uncompromising stance. Districts such as Jalna, Beed, and Dharashiv are experiencing considerable unrest, with the OBC community living in fear. This situation debates the legitimacy of village bans on OBCs, the demand for Muslim reservations from OBC quotas, and the subsequent embrace of Muslims, all under the guise of the Maratha reservation movement.

Multiple Hindu nationalist organisations across Maharashtra desire reservations for the needy within the Maratha community. Even Sambhaji Bhide visited the hunger strike site at Antarwali Sarati in support. However, the recent events and statements made by Manoj Jarange create doubts about whether this fight is genuinely for reservation or if it is a ploy to destabilise Maharashtra and secure votes for a particular political party.

Jarange’s rhetorics are often riddled with crude language directed at BJP leaders, while the real opponents of the Maratha reservation go unscathed. Leaders like Sharad Pawar, who explicitly stated that he doesn’t support Maratha reservations from the OBC quota, and other MVA leaders who warned the government not to touch OBC reservations, are indirectly advocating against Marathas getting OBC reservations. However, Jarange reserves his vile language towards Chhagan Bhujbal and Prasad Lad, while sparing Pawar and MVA leaders. This double standard is being quietly discussed by the common man in Maharashtra.

Additionally, Jarange’s advocacy for Muslim reservations from the OBC quota, despite such reservations being prohibited on religious grounds in India. He seems intent on appealing to the Muslim community, as gathered by significant Muslim participation during his rallies. This raises concerns that this movement might be politically motivated, aiming to forge an unnatural Maratha-Muslim alliance for electoral gains.By sowing discord between OBCs and Marathas and rallying Muslim support, Jarange appears to be inciting a conflict within the Hindu community. This is particularly concerning in the context of past tensions, such as Love Jihad incidents and riots during Shiv Jayanti processions. The involvement of Muslims in the Maratha reservation movement appears increasingly problematic and politically motivated.

Finally, aligning with those who opposed the renaming of Aurangabad to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in honor of Sambhaji Maharaj, who was brutally tortured by Aurangzeb, further complicates the narrative. The efforts to create an unnatural Maratha-Muslim alliance under the guise of the reservation movement must be scrutinised.

(The writer is a resident of Akola. Views personal)