Battered and bruised, Antarwali-Saraati closed ranks behind Jarange-Patil to lend voice to Maratha quota demand

Despite the police assault, the serious injuries, the broken bones and the bruises they suffered on the fourth day of the first fast-unto-death by Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil, several villagers remained unshaken as they rallied round the activist and ensured he carried on with his agitation in the larger interest of the Maratha community. And when the activist launched the second phase of his fast-unto-death which lasted nine days, the villagers again threw their weight behind him, putting in place a 24×7 support system for the agitation, drawing the attention of not just Maharashtra but the entire country.

(L) Vijay Tarak and his wife were injured in the police lathicharge. (R) Bad roads are a common sight. (Express photo by Manoj More)

If the villagers are to be believed, 150 of them were injured and at least 40 received serious injuries in the lathicharge which took place after the police tried to shift Jarange-Patil to hospital as his condition deteriorated and the villagers resisted the move.

Sudarshan Tarak (40), another victim of the lathicharge, spent 15 days in a private hospital in Jalna. “As the police went berserk, those sitting before the agitation pandal became their target. A couple of policemen rained lathis on me, targeting my leg. Despite pleading with them with folded hands, they did not relent. I was taken to the hospital by villagers. I spent nearly 15 days in the hospital. Though I have recovered, I still find it difficult to walk comfortably or I used to earlier,” he said.

Antarwali-Saraati has a population of 4,500 — more than 60 per cent belong to the Maratha community and most of them are relatives with ‘Tarak’ being the common surname. On that fateful day, some 400-500 people had gathered in front of the pandal where Jarange-Patil was holding his fast-unto-death demanding reservation for the Maratha community.

The first fast-unto-death of Jarange-Patil ended after 17 days. The activist had then given a total of 40 days — 10 extra from his side — to the state government to announce reservation for the Maratha community. After 40 days, the state government failed to keep its promise. Jarange-Patil then launched his second fast-unto-death which ended on the ninth day on November 2. This was after the state government extended the scope of the Justice Sandeep Shinde Committee. Its jurisdiction, which had been restricted only to Marathwada, was extended to entire Maharashtra as the government issued a GR to the effect.

During both his hunger strike, a team of villagers slogged behind the scene, rarely seen in public. Vijay Tarak, a local farmer and a member of the gram panchayat, revealed how the entire agitation was handled.

He says they had put in place a team of villagers which had several volunteers. Some were from Antarwali village and some from neighbouring villages, who monitored the entire agitation round the clock and also kept a constant vigil on Jarange-Patil’s health. A room alongside the gram panchayat office become a “sort of war room” where the team would gather and plan the entire day’s operation. “Besides the team which managed the show round the clock, we also had active support of one member of the Maratha community from 123 nearby villages. In a way, we had a strong force at hand which lent an equally strong support to the agitation,” said Vijay Tarak, who was also among those who was injured in the police lathicharge but recovered quickly to be play an active part in the agitation.

As Jarange-Patil lay on the stage and fasted, getting up only to go to the washroom, the villagers’ team took charge of every bigwig politician, minister, leaders and supporters coming in droves from nearby villages and from across Maharashtra. The media was also taken care of with Jarange-Patil giving bytes only at the appointed hour.

The ‘villagers’ team’ had the uphill task of ensuring meal for those arriving and lending their support. “When we requested some of the villagers to make arrangements for food, over 100 of them came forward and everyday provided tiffins packed with meal… And remember, this was happening despite the fact that some villagers were seething after the police assault. Anger of being beaten and anger of not getting reservation despite all the humiliation,” said Vijay Tarak.

Recalling how villagers were united in their effort, he said, “When I was writhing in pain after the police assault, a woman villager who belonged to another caste was comforting me till help arrived. A policeman chided her, saying why was she helping me as I did not belong to her caste. The woman asked the policeman to keep his mouth shut. That’s the spirit of Antarwali-Saraati… We had all-round support which helped Jarange-Patil to march on.”

While in the first hunger strike, four villagers had accompanied Jarange-Patil, in the second fast the activist fasted all alone and needed constant support and vigil. “Our team members, some villagers and those who came from nearby villagers never let their guard down. They kept milling around the stage and around the activist. Every one constantly kept vigil to ensure that all was well with Jarange-Patil. The moment some felt that something was wrong, the doctor was called in,” Vijay Tarak said. However, a determined Jarange-Patil would summon enough strength and defy any move by the doctors to put him on saline or cajole him to get admitted to a hospital.

Till Jarange-Patil held his first fast-unto-death in the village which led to the police lathicharge, Antarwali-Saraati, a perennially drought-hit village where farmers struggle to make both ends meet, was little heard of in Maharashtra. The September 1 incident changed the way the world is looking at the tiny village. “Farming is a loss-making venture for us. Though sugarcane is grown on over 1,100 acres of land in and around the village, the crop needs large amount of water which is unavailable in this drought-hit region. The Jaiyakwadi dam, like every year, has no water… we are going to struggle this year too,” said Dattatrya Sonar, another farmer.

Besides struggling to get water for farming, the village also lacks basic amenities. Roads are in tattered state, drainage lines are choked and garbage is strewn all across. The village has never seen any big development project.

But that has not proved a deterrence to the villagers’ determination to press their demand for reservation through the hunger strike led by Jarange-Patil and let the voice of Maratha community get heard, loud and clear.

Sonar, who was also present on the day of the police lathicharge, said, “The name Antarwali-Saraati now evokes respect and admiration in whole of Maharashtra… I don’t know about the country, but everyone in Maharashtra now knows the courage of Antarwali. We battled police brutally and government insensitivity but we have remained firm on our demand and true to our community. Marathas never develop cold feet in such battles. Our fight will continue till we get justice.”

Village sarpanch Pandurang Tarak, however, has his own take. “We did not have a team of 10 people or 20 people. Entire village closed ranks behind Jarange-Patil… Even people from nearby villagers were integral part of our team. It was an united effort,” he said.

Jarange-Patil an ‘honest man’

What made the villagers to rally around Jarange-Patil is his “straight-forward approach, honesty and his constant struggle for the good of Maratha community”. “Jarange-Patil was a politician for less than a month with the Congress. He resigned some 20 years back from the Congress in protest, demanding a ban on James Laine’s book on Chhatrapati Shivaji… Since then, he has devoted his life to social work, especially for betterment of the life of the poor from Maratha community,” said Vijay Tarak.

After the brutal Kopardi rape and murder case of a teenager, Jarange-Patil, founder-president of Shivba Sanghathna, was in the forefront of the agitation demanding noose for the culprits. The agitation triggered the demand for Maratha reservation as well, leading to some 58 ‘silent morchas’ by the Maratha community.

“When the culprits in the Kopardi case were brought to court premises, the members of the Shivba Sanghatana assaulted them. Some of them were in jail for several months. Jarange-Patil sold two-acre of his land to support their family, appoint lawyers and get their release on bail…It is this approach of his which has made him a hero of sorts for the Maratha community. He has nothing to do with politics, he has never contested an election,” said Vijay Tarak.

Subhash Tarak (65), an elderly local villager, said, “Jarange-Patil is not from our village, his village is located some five km away from our village but we admire him for his sheer guts and his honesty. We believe in his words. He is sincere in what he is doing. He does not want anything from the government for himself but wants reservation for the Maratha community.”

Another villager Adinath Tarak said, “Jarange-Patil is self-less. He believes in everyone’s welfare. We don’t mind if sometimes he pulls up villagers. His aggressive streak has actually taken us close to getting justice…,” he said.

Anger against Fadnavis subsides

With Jarange-Patil going hammer and tongs against Fadnavis after the police assault and subsequently after he, as Home Minister, warned of filing attempt to murder case against agitators who torched properties, there was anger against Fadnavis among the villagers. “However, now we feel reservation is top priority. We have nothing against Fadnavis and the government. We want the government to provide us reservation… Jarange-Patil had invited Fadnavis for talks. He avoided coming to the village. He should have come,” says Vijay Tarak. Sudarshan Tarak adds, “Only reservation for Maratha community will provide us the healing touch. We don’t care what Fadnavis says or does, if he gives us reservation, we will whole-heartedly support him.”